Daleszyce Jewish Cemetery

Daleszyce was founded under German law in 1569 owing to the efforts of Bishop Filip Padniewski. The main source of income was trade, brokering the sale of cattle, and, from the mid-17th century, agriculture. Until the mid-18th century, Jews were forbidden to settle in the town and buy houses. In 1792, only 12 Jewish families lived in Daleszyce, and they lived in Catholic houses. Owing to competition in trade, in 1819, 1847, and 1855, Catholic residents tried to thwart permanent Jewish settlement by levelling accusations of ritual murder (blood libel). The Jewish community was only established in 1869. In 1910, the community numbered 400 people, and 525 in 1937. During World War II, in September 1942, almost the entire Jewish population was deported to the Bodzentyn Ghetto, and then to the Treblinka extermination camp. The Jewish cemetery was established next to the Catholic Choleric Cemetery in the first half of the 19th century. In the 19th century, it most likely originally (by 1823) served as an epidemic cemetery, then became a regular burial cemetery. It is situated south-east of the town, outside of the developed area, on a small hill, on the road from Daleszyce to Raków, behind the fork in the road to Napęków. In the interwar period, it covered an area of about 3 hectares. There was a wall with a gate which, according to archival records, was renovated in 1935. During World War II, the cemetery was partially destroyed by the Germans. After the War, the deterioration process continued and the remaining tombstones on the site were used to rebuild the city. The cemetery was closed for burials in 1964. The last remains of matzevot were plundered in the 1980’s. Currently, the spatial layout of the cemetery is indiscernible, and the area is forested.