Maurycy Fajans (1827-1897) – a merchant and industrialist, was the son of Herman, a merchant from Sieradz, and Leontyna nee Kon. His brother was a well-known Warsaw photographer and owner of a lithographic and photographic studio Maksymilian Fajans (1825-1890). Maurycy Fajans was a representative of a […]
The mikvah, which existed even before the construction of the beautiful building, which is now the seat of the Art Gallery of Płock. The tenement house in which the Society for the Care of Jewish Children and the Shelter for Homeless Jewish Children was located. […]
Stefan Themerson was born on January 25, 1910 as the son of Chaim Mendel aka Mieczysław Themerson (1871-1930) – a medical doctor, writer and publicist, and Sara Liba aka Salomea nee Smulewicz. In 1928 he graduated from the Władysław Jagiełło State Junior High School in Płock. In the same year he went to Warsaw to study. He studied physics at the University of Warsaw and architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology. At the end of the 1920s, he began experimenting with photography and film, including photograms and photomontages. In 1931, he married Franciszka Weinles, with whom he realized (until 1937), using innovative techniques, six avant-garde films, including “Pharmacy” (1930) and “Europe” (1932). In 1937, Stefan and Franciszka Themerson left for Paris. At the beginning of September 1939, they volunteered for the Polish army in France. After the surrender of France, they left for London, where they settled permanently. Stefan Themerson was the author of many grotesque-philosophical novels, including “Professor Mmaa’s Lecture” (1953), “Cardinal Pölätüo” (1961), “Tom Harris” (1967), “Euclid Was an Ass” (1986), “Hobson’s Island” (1988). He was also the author of popular works for children, including “Mr Rouse Builds His House” (1938) and “The Adventures of Peddy Bottom” (1951). In 1943-1946, Themerson collaborated with the London monthly “Nowa Polska” (“New Poland”). In 1948, together with Franciszka, he founded the Gaberbocchus Press publishing house, the goal of which was to publish so-called bestlookers (books with original layout). He died in London on September 6, 1988.
Stefan Themerson is considered one of the most original artists of the 20th century avant-garde. In his hometown he is commemorated by a plaque on the wall of the house at 5 Grodzka Street, where he was born and spent his childhood. Since 2010, the Themerson Festival has been organized in Płock, and since the beginning of 2019 the name of Stefan and Franciszka Themerson has been borne by the Płock Center of Culture and Arts.
Bibliography:
Askanas K., Sztuka Płocka, Płock 1991
Przedpełski J., Stefański J., Żydzi płoccy w dziejach miasta, Płock 2012
Photograph of Stefan Themerson above (including modifications) CC BY-SA 4.0: https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Themerson#/media/Plik:Stefan_Themerson12.jpg
Sukkot (Festival of Tabernacles, Festival of Shelters) is a holiday commemorating the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt and wandering in the desert during which they experienced direct divine protection. At the time of this holiday, the sukkot (in Polish „kuczki”) are being built, in which people […]
The Nobiscum Foundation cordially invites you to the exhibition “The Jewish Count. The story of Stanisław Posner”, which this time we will have the pleasure to present in the exhibition hall of the Municipal Culture Centre in Płońsk to all the guests of the 3rd […]
The property with the former mortgage number 281 is located in the eastern corner of Tumska and Kościuszki streets, in the space of the historic downtown of Płock.
The first owner of the property was Ludwik Mahn, an assessor, the architect of the Płock department, and also a member of the Masonic Lodge in Płock. After the death of Ludwik Mahn, the property was owned in 1824 by his widow, Fryderyka née Wolters from the Pomerania region, daughter of Krystian and Anna Maria née Werner, and their children – son Karol Henryk Antoni and daughter Amalia Szarlotta Leopoldyna. After the death of his mother and sister, Karol Henryk Antoni sold the inherited property to Bogumiła Rościszewska née Ligowska, daughter of Jan and Marianna née Dobrosielska, wife of the captain of the Polish Army Franciszek Maksymilian Rościszewski. The next owner of the property was Ludwik Bergman, and after his death, in 1853, Amalia Bergman and Laura Amanda, Sydonia Ewelina and Ferdynand Edmund, the Bergman siblings. In 1877 Moryc Lewenstein became the owner of the property.
Moryc Lewenstein was born in Mława in 1833 as the son of Lejba and Ryfka Ruchla. His wife was Chawa née Pinkus, daughter of Naftali and Ruchla, born in 1844 in Kutno.
On 9/21 August 1863, Moryc Lewenstein received permission to conduct business activity, which included: non-guild trade in spices, soap, candles, herring, cereals, glass, stationery, footwear, cotton and linen products, various small items, wines and foreign liquors. The company recommended in particular Hungarian barrel and bottled wines (from Hegyal and Tokaj regions), as well as French, Spanish, Rhine, champagne, flavored liqueur wines, French aperitif Saint-Raphael, Crimean and Caucasian wines, London porter, vodkas, liqueurs, French and domestic cognac, Russian vodkas by Popow, Koszelew and Sztriter, tinctures, bottled honey, as well as sugar and tea from various companies. The company’s offer included truffles, capers, olives, mustards, Astrakhan caviar, Dutch herring and various types of cheese. Lewensztejn maintained trade contacts, among others with a St. Petersburg merchant and also the owner of the largest delicatessen in Russia located on Nevsky Prospect – Grigorij Jelisiejew. Lewenstein’s shop also recommended a wide selection of “fancy and modernist” wallpapers from the well-known Warsaw company of Józef Franaszek, operating on the corner of Marszałkowska and Złota streets.
Moryc and Chawa had several children: Naftali (born in 1867), Nachman (born in 1869), Fajga (born in 1872), Rafał (born in 1873), Gelia (born in 1877) and Pinkus (born in 1881). The second child of Moryc – Nachman, married Teodozja Maria née Piekarska, daughter of Wojciech and Bronisława née Schmidt, who was born in Kalisz in 1885. Nachman Lewenstein worked as a clerk. Rafał Lewenstein’s wife was Aleksandra née Michajłow, daughter of Prokop and Matylda née Braun, born in 1898 in Płock, of an Orthodox religion. In 1921, Rafał converted from Jewish to Evangelical-Augsburg religion.
Since 1862, at 1 Kościuszki Street there was a sculpting and framing company of Walerian Krowicki, which dealt with all church works: renovation, reconstruction and construction of altars, baptismal fonts, feretories, antepedia, ciboria, canopies, banners and painting of church interiors and facades. The company’s services also included competitive prices for framing paintings.
The lithographic studio of the printer Mojżesz Rozenfeld also operated at this address (since 1888). The workshop had a prining press, it carried out multi-colored artistic and lithographic works. A stationery store operated by the printing house. Rozenfeld’s company operated until 1904, then was taken over by Izrael Koszerkiewicz.
In the interwar period there was the office of lawyer Szymon Nichtberger, the seat of the Society of Cyclists in Płock and Estera Nejman’s “Źródło bogactwa” (“Source of Wealth”) lottery.
After the death of Moryc Lewenstein, the property was inherited by his wife Chawa and children. From 1912, the owners of the property were the brothers Nachman and Rafał. In 1926, Rafał purchased a part of his property from Nachman, becoming its sole owner.
The property at 1 Kościuszki Street by the decision of the Minister of Culture and Art announced in Monitor Polski on July 31, 1920 No. 171 was included in the category of historic buildings.
Rafał Lewenstein was a well-known art lover in Płock, collector and president of the Credit Society. He was murdered by the Germans in Działdowo.
Bibliography:
G. Nowak, A. Wojciechowska, Żydowski Płock – architektoniczne wizje i realizacje, Płock 2014
J. Przedpełski, J. Stefański, Żydzi płoccy w dziejach miasta, Płock 2012
Józef Kwiatek was born on January 22, 1874 in Płock, in a large Jewish family. His father Fiszel, son of Efroim Kwiatek (1792-1875) and Sura née Kagan, traded in colonial goods. Józef’s mother was Hinda née Prussak. Józef had six siblings – brothers Symcha (born […]
In 1816, in Kutno Mordka Lindeman (Linderman) (born ca. 1791), son of the trader Berek and Bluma (daughter of Chaim), married Perel Fux (born ca. 1792), the daughter of the baker Szyja and Małka (daughter of Jonasz). In 1817 their son Chaim was born, and […]
One of the families associated with the former Szeroka Street (currently Józefa Kwiatka St.) was the Berliner family. Beniamin Berliner was born in 1829 in Płock as the son of Hersz and Maria. He was a tailor by profession (like his parents). In 1851 he married Krajndla Topaz (born in 1832), daughter of Beniamin and Jeres. Beniamin and Krajndla Berliner had 6 children: sons Szulim (born in 1857), Majer (born in 1866) and Icek Jankef (born in 1868) and daughters Symcha (born in 1861), Sura (born in 1872) and Masha ( born in 1874). The Berliners lived in a tenement house at 36 Szeroka Street, which was owned by Hersz Szlezyngier. Symcha Berliner married Abram Izaak Klejn, who came from Kalisz (ca. 1857-1887) and was the son of Lejb and Frajda. Their son Izrael was born in 1886. In the early 1890s, the Berliner family emigrated to England. After the death of Abram Izaak, Symcha married Abraham Fass, who came from Płock and was a cotton porter. The family lived in Liverpool. Symcha Berliner died in 1925. Izrael Klejn (Cyril Keene) married Miriam Blumenthal (1885-1963). He died in Reading, Berkshire, on January 4, 1942.
Photographs courtesy of Sue Easter. Thank you!
On September 19, a board exhibition entitled Józef Kwiatek and his street which the Nobiscum Foundation has realized in connection with the 145th anniversary of birth of Józef Kwiatek (1874-1910), will be opened at the P Gallery in the Płock City Hall. The exhibition was […]
