History of Jewish Žilina1789 Just two families (the Hispaniol und the Wix) were allowed to live in Žilina.

1850A shule and a Jewish school come into being.

1851The Jewish registry in Žilina counts 260 people and kept records Jewish births, deaths and marriages.

1850 – 1880The Jewish community flourishes and gains in growing economical importance.

1870 – 1911The development of the railways and the town’s convenient location give rise to the foundation of important industrial companies (Súkenka, Hungária, the cellulose plant), financial institutions and companies such as Natan Zelinka, Bartolomej Scheer become established.

1872In the local council names like Leopold Popper, Jakub Rosenfeld, Gabriel Spanyol belong to the most important contributors.

1888The Jewish community in Žilina agrees on its articles. The Chairman is Ignác Rosenfeld.

1912Orthodox Jews are found the prayer group Adath Jescharim.

1918Excesses and aggressions towards the Jewish population appear.

1919Foundation of the Poale Zion movement in Zilina.20 of 25 lawyers and 10 of 12 doctors are Jewish.

1921 – 1939Hugo Spanyol and Ignác Spierer are members of the local council.The Jewish community splits up. Chairman of the Orthodox community is from 1923 to 1939 Samuel Schlesinger, chairman of the Neologue community from 1923 to 1936 Ignác Spierer.

19211680 Jews (14% of the population) live in the town.

1927Hugo Spanyol becomes first substitutional mayor.

1928Peter Behrens is the winner of the contest for the construction of the Neologue Synagoge. Other participants are J. Hoffmann and M. M. Scheer.

1929 – 1931Construction of the Neologue Synagogue following the concept of Peter Behrens (builder: die brother Novák, Žigo Wertheimer). The building is outranging the town as to importance, it becomes one of the most remarcable monuments of modern architecture in Slovakia.In 1930 2500 Jews are living in Žilina.

1938Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria are reaching the town. Antijewish violations arise.On October 6th the Slovak Independance is declared in Žilina.

1939On March 14th the Slovak Republik is founded.The situation of Jews in Slovakia is worsing dramatically. Regulations, laws and orders with deep recesses into citizen rights and freedom of trade for Jews pass.424 of 756 tradesmen are jewish.

1941 – 1942On September 9th 1941 comes into force the regulation No 198/1941 Zb. „about the legitimate position of Jews“, the so called code of Jews. With its 270 articles it’s the broadest antijewish code of law in Europe.In Žilina 414 jewish traders get liquidized and more arianized; 247 jewish houses get state-owned; jewish employees loose their work.After the temporary completion of deportations in 1942 about 24 000 Jews are remaining in Slovakia, the number of those in Žilina is estimated by a thousand.

1940On January 1th the town is dismissing its jewish clerks, jewish pupils are turned out of school during the year.The district commission for Arianization is coming into beeing.

1942On March 21th the concentration camp of Žilina (one of five in Slovakia) is put into operation. Untill the end of the year there are 19 transports (18 223 Slovak jews) from Žilina. Altogether almost 58 000 Jews are deported from Slovakia in 1942. 282 are surviving. Just 50 kg Gepäck per person is allowed, other possesions are auctioned off. On October 24th the concentration camp in Žilina is breaked down.

194429. August – Slovak National Uprising.From September 13th all remaining Jews are deported from town.

1945April 30th – Žilina’s liberation.As per a register made by Haim Gordon, around 2 668 Jews perished in Žilina during the Holocaust.The first after-war general meeting of the Jewish community in Žilina convened on July 5th. „We have to build up everything anew,“ the secretary general Šimon Goldenberg emphazised.The community counts 100 members, there are 500 people confessing to Jewish religion.The number of jewish homecomers amounts to 551.

1945 – 1949The Neologue and the Orthodox community are merging.The Jews are

emigrating.Just 26 members are attending the general meeting in 1949.

1952In the morgue of the cemetry the monument for the victims of Holocaust is uncovered.

1957Pavel Sendrei and his wife are sued for purported cooperation with the Israeli embassy.

1968The large big wave of emigration from Žilina is starting.

1969 – 1989The agitation of the community are drooping. As per ONV its members are overaged, their only concern the burial on a jewish cemetry.

1989 – …The agitation of the jewish community is increasing again. First task is the reconstruction of the devices. The cemetry and also the Gospel halls in the Dlabačova street are in very bad condition. It is necessary to solve complicated legal problems. The jewish community is counting about 50 members. Its average age is about 65.

2009The publishing house Edis publishes the book Židia v Žiline (Jews in Žilina) written by Peter Frankl and Pavel Frankl. All dates, events and informations are from this source.

Jewry appeared in Žilina only in the 19th century. There were only two Jewish families living in Žilina until the middle of the 19th century because the town was not willing to allow more Jews to settle. They could come during the day to do the business, but they had to leave the town for the night. The two mentioned families were the WIX and SPANYOL families. This can be explained by the fact, that town Žilina with mainly German commons did not accept the Jewish fugitives and therefore they settled in neighboring villages: in Varín, Martin, Rajec, Čadca etc. The first families we could meet here, besides already mentioned WIX and SPANYOL families were the POPPER, ROSENFELD and WEIL families. They had the meeting-house Salem built already in 1850, and they also had the cheder, the Jewish public school. It was supervised by IZIDOR LINDENSTEIN. 22 Jews lived in Žilina in 1851. The community had also functioning Chevra Kadisha.

The first synagogue in Žilina (finished in 1881)

In 1881 the Jewish religious community was so large, that they had to build their own synagogue, where the worship was practised till 1930. In the same time they started to build the Jewish public school where Dr. KAROL KOHN was the first schoolmaster. The high level of this school is proved by the fact, that the whole third of its students were the Christians: 58 Catholics, 27 Evangelics, 5 of state religion (Czechoslovak religion) and 9 without religion. Later JOZEF ŠALGÓ an excellent educator and member of the cultural committee of Žilina region was the administrator of the school. The community had also the ritual bath, well known Chevra Kadisha, and many edifying and charitable companionships. As a matter of fact, there were two religious

communities in Žilina: the neological one and the orthodox one which was formed in 1921. The orthodox community was approved by the state only in 1925.

Many notable rabbis worked in Žilina, among them the poet Dr. ARNOLD KISS, an excellent orator. He was the rabbi in Veszprém and Budín later.

In the first third of the 20th century the number of Jews grooved so much, that the need of building a new synagogue became urgent. The decision was made in 1929. It appertained to the most modern and the most beautiful Jewish buildings in Slovakia. The synagogue was finished by the end of 1931 and stayed on the place of the old synagogue from 1881. During the construction of the synagogue, all religious services were carried out in the Jewish public school.

The new synagogue at Kuzmány street in Žilina (built in 1931)

The new synagogue is a modern building with a cupola, designed by Berliner designer Peter Behrens. The plain walls and the flat cupola created a harmonical unity together. Four staircases led to the gallery for women.

After the war this synagogue was rebuilt to a concert hall according to the designs by an architect Václav Čapek. There was also the Peter Jilemnicky Theatre located

temporally in the synagogue.

The orthodox synagogue on Daniel Dlabač street no. 5 is a simple building with a meeting-house Salem and adjutant rooms. There is also a flat and a small backyard near the synagogue. Also this synagogue was renovated after the war.

In 1942 there was 3500 Jews living in Žilina and its surrouding. 3000 of them were Jews originally from Žilina, and the rest 500 Jews were those who relocated themselves to the town from the small cities and villages after adoption of anti-Jewish legislature in the years from 1938 to 1941. They could not stay at their hometowns or did not feel safe there anymore. A great collection camp was located in Žilina from where innumerable transports were dispatched to the concentration camps. The last neological rabbi was Dr. HUGO STRÁNSKY, and the chairman of the community was Dr. ALEXANDER MARTON. As to the orthodox, there was the last rabbi MARTIN KLEIN and the chairman IGNATZ KLEIN. Only 700 Jews came back from the concentration camps. 500 of them emigrated shortly after the end of the WW II in the first wave of emigration between 1948 and 1949. After that the emigration was forbidden. In the beginning of the '50s there were about 200 Jews living in Žilina.

The Cemetery is located in the west side of the town. The entrance is furnished with a gate with grillage. Behind it, there is an alley. Just near the gate there is a large ceremony hall, to which some smaller buildings were added. In the large impressive hall, there was a wonderful monument built according to the design by an architect JOZEF ZWEIGENTHAL, it is a 5.5m high pyramid, covered with black Swedish granite. On the walls of the hall there are white tablets with the names of those who were killed as victims of fascism. The cemetery lies on the horizontal terrain. Some of the tombstones were damaged in 1958 by unknown offenders.

The inscriptions on the tombstones are in Hebrew, Slovak, German, and Hungarian. The tombstones are made of various stones and in various kinds.

Jewish religious community in Žilina

There were about 150 Jews living in Žilina at the and of the '60s and the Jewish religious community kept traditions of their ancestors even with some problems.

The last dramatic change in the life of the Jewish community in Žilina was an emigration of the most of young Jews in between 1968 and 1969. The number of members of the Jewish religious community in Žilina went down to 100 mostly elderly people.

The religious services in the synagogue were stopped in 1987. It was mainly because of the very bad condition of the small synagogue building (the former orthodox synagogue), but also because there were no more members of the community that could carry out the religious services.

Partial revival of the Jewish religious community came together with the change of the political system in Slovakia after 1989. The old Jewish cemetery was renovated, hundreds of tombstones were put or straighten up again, many of which laid down on the ground.

Regular garden works ensured that there is no more wild vegetation destroying or damaging the graves. All this work helped to bring the cemetery among the best kept Jewish cemeteries in Slovakia.

After the renovation of a small synagogue a Museum of Jewish traditions was established here with the expositions of the Judaics from the region.

Orthodox synagogue in Žilina (today)

There are still some regular activities in our community going on. Besides the commemoration ceremony organized to pay honor to those killed in World War II,

there is always a reunion meeting of all Jewish natives of Žilina the day before. There are almost 100 people taking part in this meeting from all around the world every year.

We are glad that there are also some traditions alive in our community and a small celebration party is organized on CHANUKA as well as SEDER DINNER on PESACH.

The city of Žilina did not forget the fellow Jews killed in concentration camps during the WW II and has built a memorial on the premises of an old collection camp (Koncetračné stredisko). This memorial was revealed in 2004 in the presence of the Slovak president. From this place of the detention camp more than 18.000 Jews were deported to the Nazi concentration camps in between March and April 1942.

Memorial in Žilina

Our community is also taking care of the oldest members in cooperation with other Jewish organizations, just to ensure a peaceful and pleasant retirement for them. However, the full religious life was not revived. There are only 50 members of the Jewish religious community in Žilina and that does not give a big chance to bring the Jewry of Žilina to the same prosperous level as it used to be.

Summary o “Jews in Zilina” by Peter & Pavel Frankl

The publication Zidia v Ziline (Jews in Zilina) deals with the history of this community in the town up to the present day. Zilina belongs to the most densely populated areas of Slovakia, having been a significant centre of political, cultural and economic life both now and in the bygone days. There is a very scanty relation to Jewish life in Zilina in various books, published in the past years. As if no Jews had lived here! As if their work and deeds had not existed!

However, in recent years authors do mention pertinent information concerning the Jews, albeit not enough. In absence of relevant information, various rumours abound, as well as baseless speculation and unfounded prejudice. Our book tries to fill the gap, namely, it compiles the history of Zilina Jews starting with their arrival to the city. It's not only a debt long overdue to generations of our Jewish fellow-citizens, it is also an obligation to contemporary citizens of Zilina. They are entitled to be acquainted with all aspects of Zilina's history.

The first account of Zilina as a city dates from the year 1312, whereas the first known urban charter comes from the year 1321. Notwithstanding the above, Jews started migrating to the area of Central Europe as early as the first few centuries A.D., following Roman Legions. Historical continuity of Jewish settlement up to the end of the 17th century on the territory of Slovakia is, however, questionable. The main regions, from which the Jews later emigrated to the Western part of Upper Hungary, are Moravia and Bohemia. The reason for this were mainly provisions aimed against the Jews during the reign of Charles (Karol) VI (1711-1740). First regions to be settled by these Jews were the territories of Western Slovakia, along the Moravian-Slovakian border. Christian tradesmen in the cities, guilds, and merchants opposed Jewish competition business. As a result, Jews couldn't have settled Zilina as well, and, so they dwelled in its vicinity. Their aim was to benefit from municipal advantages, namely, to participate in town fairs as merchants. Close proximity enabled them to go home in the evening, and return back to Zilina in the morning. As we learn from a 1789 record, there were only two Jewish families, which were granted permission to live in the town itself. Hispaniol, and Wix. There were other Jews, living at that time in Varin, Strazov, Budatin and other settlements in the vicinity.

New rules and edicts had gradually been issued in the 19th century which, de facto, granted equal rights to the Jews. Odds are that according to 1851 census, there were 260 Jewish persons in Zilina. Pieces of information about the establishment of Jewish congregation in Zilina differ. The first year mentioned is 1850, when a Jewish synagogue and school came into being. Starting with 1851, Jewish registry office commenced its activity. It was at the time of Zilina rabbi Jozef Grünbaum. Burial Society, known as the Chevra Kadisha, was also established. New Jewish settlers estasblished their trade and business activities. Our community grew both in its numbers, and in its economic significance for the city. In 1872, the greatest taxpayers,

Leopold Popper, Jakub Rosenfeld, Gabriel Spanyol and other Jews became members of municipal representatives. It was at the plenary session held on August 26,1888, during the chairmanship of Ignac Rosenfeld, when the Jewish Congregation established its Code of Rules.

Railway construction and advantageous city location led to the establishment of significant industrial enterprises and financial institutions, among other Sukenka (cloth factory), chemicke podniky (chemical corporation) Hungaria, wood pulp (cellulose) factory, firms of Natan Zelinka, Bartolomej Scheer, etc. Industrial exhibition of Upper Hungary took place at Zilina at the beginning of the 20th century. Orthodox Jews in town established a prayer association in 1912, called Adath Yesharim. Also the Jewish women association was active in these years. In 1911 the legal city representative was Dr. Rudolf Stern.

Among the most significant taxpayers were Dr. Jozef Pollak, Dr. David Friedner, Eduard Schlesinger and other Jews. Diplomatic Corps were represented, for instance, by Teodor Ring, Emil Klein, Samuel Vogel and other Jewish inhabitants of Zilina. Jews chaired also municipal financial institutions. The first director of ophthalmological hospital became Dr. Vojtech Spanyol. Prior to the World War I, from the viewpoint of religion, the Jewish Congregation was ranked number two, immediately following members of the Roman Catholic Church.

CSR (Czechoslovakia) came into being in the aftermath of the First World War. It was a meeting place of diverse Jewish communities with different levels of tradition, development and degree of assimilation. Number of Jews in Zilina rose steadily. There were 1,680 Jews in 1921 (nearly 14 percent of inhabitants), and 2,500 in 1930.

Slovak Jews viewed the dissolution of Austria-Hungary with great misgivings. What will the new government be like? What will be its attitude towards the Jews? Part of Jews was not happy in the budding CSR. Many places, including Zilina, were scenes of violence against them. However, the situation had gradually been consolidated, bringing in its wake almost two decades of peaceful years, which witness the culmination point of Jewish community life at Zilina. During the period of the first CSR, economic, political, and social conditions of Jews have reached unprecedented peak. There were 25 attorneys in 1919 in the town, out of whom 20 were Jewish. Similarly, out of 12 physicians 10 of them were Jews. A cursory look into the first Zilina directory for 1930 reveals, that almost all physicians and lawyers are Jews. They form the majority among hotel and factory owners. The city is being built by Jewish architects and constructors, e.g. Maximilian Scheer, Jozef Zweigenthal, Julius Stein and others. Jews hold leading positions at Drevarska Marketplace (Wood processing factory), they own the majority of shops on main streets of Zilina, they have significant participation among the businessmen of the trade community.

Their growing significance was also reflected in political life. Poale Zion party started its activities in the town in October 1919. Other parties were Ludovy Zvaz Zidov pre Slovensko (National Jewish Union for Slovakia), Zidovska Strana (Jewish Party), etc. Hugo Spanyol and Ignac Spierer were members of municipal representation in 1921. Zilina became one of the Zionist movement centres in Slovakia. Jewish Party congress was held here as well. In 1927 became Hugo Spanyol the First Deputy of the Mayor, followed by Rudolf Braun in 1931, who held the post of the Second Deputy. Many Zilina Jews were active in non-Jewish parties, mostly left-oriented.

Year 1938 brought first Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria. First anti-Jewish riots took place in Zilina.

As far as religious life in the First Republic is concerned, founding plenary

session of orthodox community took place in 1921. Its first chairman became Samuel Schlesinger. Jewish split at Zilina had not been void of problems, and coexistence of both communities in the years to follow was not free of squabbles. However, the majority of Jews succeeded. There may have been some frictions, but not a "life or death" struggle, their motto being 'live and let live'. Head of Neologist (Reform Judaist) ZNO (Jewish Religious Congregation) was in years 1917-1937 Ignac Spierer. Contrary to other places in Slovakia, Neologists (Neology = lit. New Doctrine) among Zilina Jews formed clear majority.

The ceremonious consecration of orthodox synagogue took place in 1927. The new neological synagogue was built in 1931. This edifice was designed by German architect Peter Behrens and was classified as one of the six most important public structures in Slovakia in the 20th century.

Jewish community life was very rich. Apart from Chevra Kadisha, there were associations of women, educational society Zion, Makabi, Hort, Hashomer Hatzair, Makabi Hatzair, and other organizations.

Zilina between the two World Wars was a busy and teeming city. The Jew Alexander Aranyos, the author of the first Slovak tango called Dita, lived here. Women were enthralled by tenor Bercy Godstein. The first exhibition of painter Imrich Weiner-Kral, was held here. The main streets, Masarykova, Hviezdoslavova, Namestie Slobody, were lined with Jewish shops, hotels, and other firms. Families Langfelder, Spanyol, Ring, Braun, Vogel, Schlesinger, Hersch, Scheer, and many others meant something! There were also poor Jews here, like Katz, Elias, and so on. Jewish elementary school (zidovska ludova skola) was very popular. Children of many non Jewish families were enrolled in it, owing to the high quality of education. Jews did not segregate themselves from other inhabitants, they did not live in some kind of social or spiritual ghetto, thereby significantly contributing to the multicultural status of the city.

Jews, who saw in October 1938 the Czechoslovak flag thrown down from the Financial Palace, and in its place the Slovak flag hoisted, felt, that something bad was brewing. This feeling had, unfortunately, been fulfilled.

Slovak autonomy was declared in our city on 6 October 1938. Jews of Zilina were apprehensive, but, most of them, as did Jews all over Slovakia, lived in illusions. In years to come they kept believing, that the relevant anti Jewish measure was the last one, that the government wouldn't aggravate the situation, which was, indeed, serious one, but what would be, would be. Slight, deprivation and discrimination had been their lot for centuries, they got used to it. Even at the time of transports, when their very life was at stake, the bearers of different kinds of exemption clauses (vynimky) believed, they would be saved. Vain were the efforts of Jews to accommodate themselves, to make agreements with those, who had no intention to agree upon anything. Anti-Jewish hatred at the time of autonomy was ablaze, but the time of methodical measures was yet to come.

The Slovak state came into being on 14 March 1939. A stream of regulations, rules, and public notices was issued. It gradually restricted and deprived the Jews of their civic and commercial rights, excluding them from individual spheres of life. Jewish municipal employees had been relieved of their jobs by 1 January 1940. Many were those, who craved for Jewish property. There were 756 merchants in the city, out of them 424 Jewish ones, who had trading licence. A stage had been set for wholesale robbery. District Aryanization Committee had been set up. One of Aryanized companies was the well-known hotel Remi. In years 1941-1942, 414 Jewish enterprises in Zilina had been liquidated, while others were aryanized. Jewish houses (some 260 in Zilina) gradually became the state property. Jews, sent to transport, were allowed only

50 kg per person. Their real property was sold at auctions.

Additional statutory rules had not only caused aggravation of discrimination of Jews. They led also to destitution and isolation of said Jews, who not only were to become redundant, they were turned into a burden, which was to be rid off. Jewish children were thrown out of schools, Jewish employees were thrown out of work. Jews were forbidden, prior to 10 a.m., to go to Zilina marketplace, visit parks, cafes, restaurants, and cinemas. On September 1941, so called Jewish Codex was issued. It instructed all Jews to wear a six pointed Star of David.

Membership in the organization called Ustredna Zidov (Jewish Central) was compulsory. Its Zilina branch organized retraining courses, supposed to provide young people with necessary skills for work in handicraft and agriculture. It should facilitate their job seeking in Slovakia, or more precisely, to prepare them for their future life in Palestine. However, most course participants had died during the holocaust. There was a collective retraining group in Zilina, various handicraft courses, horticultural group in Banova, too. Jewish work centres were active here, whereby Zilina Jews toiled also at Hiadel, Jalna, etc. Some of them, at least temporarily, were saved in work centres.

Nevertheless, all steps of executive administrators were aimed at expulsion of Jews, ipso facto, getting rid of them for ever. To this aim contributed various lists and records of Jews. Concentration centres were established in March 1942 to converge Jews, officially scheduled for work. Their real purpose, however, was to deport them to extermination camps. Zilina concentration centre, one of five on the territory of Slovakia, started its activity on 21 March 1942. The camp was situated in unsanitary wooden shacks, long time deserted, formerly belonging to garrison houses. The first impression the camp offered, was this: squalor, dirt, desperate faces of starving people. Sadism of their wardens presaged the hell of Oswiecim. Detainees were robbed of valuables, subjected to physical search. Daily routine included chicanery and beating of prisoners. Jailers took bribes. Prisoners, thus redeemed, had to provide others to take their place in transport.

According to probably a German list, there were 19 transports despatched from Zilina in 1942, most of them destined to extermination camp Oswiecim. Transports, that set out from Zilina, carried away 18,223 Jews for journey with no return. District leader reported on 19 June 1942, that up to then 1,321 Jews were transported out of Zilina rural district. Altogether, nearly 58,000 Jews were carried away in 1942 from the territory of Slovakia. Out of them survived 282 people.

Concentration centre in Zilina ceased to exist on 24 October 1942. In wake of temporary cessation of deportations in October 1942, about 24,000 Jews were left in Slovakia, out of them, the number of Zilina Jews is estimated at one thousand. Slovak authorities themselves had not renewed deportations, even though various anti-Jewish crackdowns went on. German army occupied Slovakia on 29 August 1944. Germans sanctioned no exception clauses and, starting with 13 September, transported to extermination camps the remaining Jews. 900 to 1000 persons were thus deported. More Zilina Jews were murdered in Slovakia itself. Zilina was left without Jews. According to the list compiled by Haim Gordon, 2,668 (Jews from Zilina) lost their lives during the holocaust. This count is not quite accurate. Even today new names are entered into the list, names, which have been forgotten, or, on the other hand, names are discovered, that shouldn't have been on the list in the first place. No number can convey the extent and significance of this all-encompassing tragedy.

Zilina Jews in the Second World War were not only defenceless victims. Many of them joined their forces in the resistance against fascism. For a certain period of time our town was a harbour for Rudolf Vrba (Walter Rosenberg) and Jozef Lanik (Alfred

Wetzler), who escaped from Oswiecim, and conveyed important information about the methods the Jews in this camp were murdered. Daniel Dionyz Lenard, Majdanek escapee, who gave testimony about conditions in this concentration camp, came from Zilina. Ervin Steiner from Zilina and others helped to rescue Polish Jews, counterfeit documents had been produced by Janko Weil and others. Martin Spitzer crossed adventurously to Switzerland in a railway carriage. Akiva Nir (Karol Neufeld), Leopold Sram (Schramm), and Arieh Klein had actively participated in the SNP (Slovak National Uprising), Zvi Gross, Pavel Feldmann, Julius Bronner and others died in it. Matilda Braun and Vojtech Braun fought in the Czechoslovak Svoboda Army. Frantisek Hersch, Bernard Ring, Imrich Glasel and others died in Czechoslovak Western Army, while Ladislav, Zolo, and Pavel Bock, Ladislav Scheimann, and others fought in it. Zilina was liberated on 30 April 1945. One Jewish soldier found his death on this momentous day.

Remnants of Jews from Zilina, when returned home, found a different city. Most prewar Jewish physicians and attorneys were removed, likewise many real estate owners, industrialists, entrepreneurs, shop owners, sportsmen. This left its marks on the quality of life in town, on its developmental potential. Zilina has lost forever a major part of its inhabitants, who helped to form its character.

There were those from among the returnees, who came for a short time only. They found none of their relatives left, strange people lived in their houses and homes. They went to other towns to study, emigrated to USA, or Palestine. Some of home-comers changed their names, they tried to assimilate, to merge with inhabitants round them. Everyday life started. So started also endeavours to regain Jewish property, frequently accompanied by passion and hatred. Even if there had not been the question of restitutions, one could hardly expect, that antisemitism would vanished overnight. The great exodus of Polish Jewry, assisted, among others, by Jews from Zilina, passed through the territory of Slovakia. Zilina youth got ready for alia, created Hachshara, even Hamakabi Hatzair was here.

First postwar plenary session of ZNO convened on 5 July 1945. "We must rebuild everything", stressed Simon Goldenberg, the newly elected congregation secretary. This prewar Jewish school teacher had no idea, what domestic and foreign political hurdles would thwart the realization of his words. Financial situation of congregation was hazy, its management, in the first postwar days, extended helpful hand to co-religionists, kitchen was set up, and Joint contributions were distributed. Congregation counted about 100 members toward 1 August 1945, whereas Judaism was practised by about 500 people. Number of Jewish home-comers was estimated at almost 800.

Slovakia, Zilina forming no exception, witnessed a merger of neological and orthodox congregations. More Jews went abroad in the latter part of the forties, leaving on the plenary session of ZNO only 26 members as of January 1949. ZNO was hit very hard in the fifties. Crusade against Zionists and Jewish citizens was at full swing. People were simply afraid, which led to frequent changes in the leadership of ZNO. Members resigned from their functions, left congregation. What did succeed, was the memorial to holocaust victims of Zilina in the Ceremonial Hall of the Jewish cemetery, unveiled in October 1952. In other respects, the congregation was dying out. Passive participation of members regarding its activities was very meagre. In 1957, Pavel Sendrei and his spouse were found guilty of collaboration with the Israeli Embassy.

Contrary to the above, ZNO is in existence even nowadays. Only those, who have experienced the feeling know, how many pains, nerves, and often fruitless effort are needed, to negotiate with public and national enterprises about the most urgent repair work on Jewish objects in town. Only a handful of Jews is left in Vrutky, Martin, and Bytca, who became members of ZNO in Zilina. Their example has been followed by Jews in Cadca, Ruzomberok, and other cities.

Last, extensive wave of emigration hit ZNO in Zilina in years 1968-69. It is true, that mainly assimilated Jews had left then, but who can tell, how the congregation would have developed after 1989, had they stayed. Consequently, state authorities claim in their reports, that congregation activity slackened to a great extent, that it is composed of superannuated members, whose only interest in life are burials on the Jewish cemetery. ZNO is standing on its last legs. However, changed post 1989 conditions actuated congregation activity. In the first place, buildings must be repaired. Cemetery is in desolate state, synagogue in Dlabacova ul. needs urgent attention, etc. Complicated legal matters must be solved. Passing away of congregation members continues. In 2007, there are only 40 members left, whose average age is 65 years. ZNO Zilina comprises also Jews from other cities in Slovakia. Momentous day is 29 June 1996, when permanent exhibition of Jewish culture was opened in the synagogue. Regular meetings of former Zilina inhabitants, scattered all over the world, commenced in the same year. These annual memorial meetings are attended by public and political dignitaries. President of SR himself, Ivan Gasparovic, unveiled in 2005 the memorial, built in the place, where Zilina concentration centre once stood.

We have already briefly mentioned the Jewish elementary school. Having finished it, young Jews enrolled into secondary schools of Zilina. Among some of the students, who made their mark in life, are Maximilian Scheer, Karol Gruen, Alexander Aranyos, and many others. Gymnasium for girls is represented by Matilda Reich, Magdalena Robinson, and others students.

Jews were among those people, who had lain foundations of sport in Zilina. In their ranks were prominent functionaries and sponsors of sport events. One of the most famous tennis players between the wars was Czechoslovak record-holder Ladislav Hecht. In track-and-field events excelled, first of all, runner Andrej Engel, longstanding Czechoslovak champion. There were others: Jozef Weider, Eugen Weiner. Who knows, how many gifted sportsmen would have existed, had the holocaust not ended their sports careers, nay, their very lives themselves.

Short history of Jews in Zilina ends here. Town full of Jews, where one met 'our man', belongs to irrevocable history. There are many people in cities like Zilina, who have never seen a Jew. One must hope, that the number of young people, who will ask questions, and seek answers to them, will steadily increase. That's why pessimism is tinged with optimism. We trust, that this book will awake the interest of public in Zilina in nearly extinct community.

Editors dedicate this publication to all those, who didn't live to see it. Also to people, who will open its pages and ponder over its contents.