Bardejov Means the World:
Bardejov Joins the International Coalition
for Sites of Conscience
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Led by an initiative of the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee, the Jewish Suburbium of Bardejov was recently declared as an International Site of Conscience. The distinction is one that should evoke a sense of pride for everyone who has participated in the work of reviving the cultural and historical significance of the Jewish community in this region. In fact, Bardejov's Jewish Suburbium is the first Site of Conscience in Slovakia, and it joins just a handful of other places in the whole of Eastern Europe who carry this particular title. The distinction is given by an aptly named organization, The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC).
The ICSC describes itself as "the only global network of historic sites, museums and memory initiatives that connects past struggles to today’s movements for human rights." In adding Bardejov, the Coalition is demonstrating the importance of the work that our organization has been performing for the last 15 years. Heritage restoration, education and commemoration is at the heart of a thoughtful consideration of human rights in the modern era.
As we are already aware, the story of Jewish Bardejov is about much more than the Jewish community. While the stories and legacy that we promote at BJPC center on those families and institutions that contributed to the vibrant Jewish life of Bardejov, the lessons to be gained from these stories and their meaning transcends cultural and religious boundaries. As a member of the Coalition, Bardejov is now positioned better than ever to broadcast these stories to the world. We feel that what Bardejov offers is meaningful to people from all walks of life, and the International Coalition for Sites of Conscience is dedicated to translating meaningful memories into actionable lessons. Therefore, we are proud to be a part of this Coalition and are grateful for the platform it will provide us in the future to convey the global relevance of the story of Jewish Bardejov.
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If you haven't had a chance, please visit our newly relaunched BJPC website featuring a fresh new design and a simplified navigation. Have a look via the link below!
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BJPC Invited to Participate in Moreshet Conference
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Mr. Giora Solar is a world-renowned architect who has been involved in the work of the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee since its inception. Our organization's greatest accomplishments pivot around his incredible talent. For example, the Holocaust Memorial of Bardejov was designed by Mr. Solar and he oversaw its construction. Additionally, Mr. Solar is the lead architect and restoration expert for our project that will revive the Beit Midrash and transform it into a museum of Jewish Heritage. In short, he is indelible to the success of BJPC.
Therefore, we are delighted that he will be presenting on our behalf at an upcoming conference hosted by the Moreshet Project, a collaborative group of five heritage sites throughout Europe who share resources and experience with one another and with their respective community counterparts. One of the unique aspects of the Moreshet Project is its focus on professional development for municipalities that have Jewish heritage sites. Often conversations about conservation are limited to the field experts, whereas the model of Moreshet invites those from outside the field to buy in to the process and grow in their sense of ownership and commitment to Jewish heritage.
BJPC was approached to be part of the Moreshet Project by The Foundation for Jewish Heritage, located in London. It was thanks to their connection that Bardejov will be able to benefit from the connections to likeminded organizations in Spain, Italy, Poland, Hungary, New Zealand and the United States. Happily, we have also been asked to share the work that we have accomplished and the projects that we have on the horizon at the next meeting of Moreshet partners.
On the 11th and 12th of May, the city of Mantova, Italy will host the conference called "Adapt to Reuse". According to the conference program the proceedings will be "dealing with aspects related to the recovering [and] reusing of Jewish religious real estate assets. The seminar will give the opportunity, through case studies, to learn and identify opportunities, outline problems and evaluate solutions." Mr. Solar's presentation about Bardejov will be on the 12th in an afternoon session alongside other experts whose projects are located in Warsaw, Budapest, and Israel.
For those who would like more information about the conference, including a full program and an opportunity to register and attend the online seminars, please visit https://moreshet.eu/seminars/mantova/
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Sketches of Jewish Heritage:
"A glimpse into the life of Mr. Štefan Tarcala, Righteous of Bardejov"
by: Michaela Molnárová
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My grandfather Štefan Tarcala was born in Bardejov in 1907. He was the son of Tomáš Tarcala and his second wife.
When Štefan was 22 years old, he married Alžbeta, and together they had two sons, Ladislav (1931) and Jozef (1932), and a daughter, Irena, who was born when the war started in 1940. At that time, Štefan owned the construction company Ivanek-Tarcala in Bardejov. He was a respected man and a popular businessman who had many friends among Catholics and Jews. The family lived in a house that Štefan himself built on the street Kratky rad. It stood near the railway station and a hill called "Hura" or "Tarcalufka", which was owned by Štefan's father Tomáš and his family, who had a family house built there.
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My grandfather and my grandmother during the war with one of their 3 children - daughter Irena. The photo was taken in the garden of their house on the street Kratky rad close to the town center. You can see the town-wall behind them. It is probably on a Sunday when they went to Catholic mass.
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When the war broke out, Štefan was ordered to go to Bratislava to the Central Economic Office, where he was informed that he had been transferred ownership of a Jewish ironworks shop related to his business. The shop was owned by the Neumann family. Štefan was most likely chosen specifically by the Neumann family as they were business partners. Moshe Neumann, who was the son of the original shop owner, Salomon Neumann, was the only one to whom he granted an exception. He asked to keep Moshe in the store to help him.
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Original postcards from the Neumann shop, written in German and Slovak.
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Photo of the Neumann shop which is occupied by a restaurant nowadays. The shop belonged to the state after the war like all other Jewish properties in Bardejov.
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As the situation in the country deteriorated during the war, Moshe and his friends decided to flee away through Hungary, but soon they were caught and sent for transport to the camps along with other Jews from Bardejov. During the transport, they were spotted by Bardejov police officer Mr. Adam Bomba, who is also a Righteous of Bardejov. He often helped Jews in the city escape, and he advised Moshe to "return to your cellar." For several days, the Tarcala family hid him in a barn in his hometown on the "Hura" hill, where later, with the help of Mr. Bomba, he was moved to the square. He was then hidden in the basement of his house.
In the evening, my grandfather would open the door to the courtyard of the house, where they could walk, breathe fresh air and eat. Perhaps most interestingly, nobody in the Tarcala family knew about all these people.
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Bardejov was liberated on the night of January 20, 1945. The liberation of the city also freed seven hidden people in the square: Abraham Kurtz, his wife, Sara, and Zalman Leib Unger and his wife, Etta (who were hiding in the basement of their house in the main square); a few doors further, in the cellar of Salomon Neumann’s house–owned by the Tarcala's at the time–were his son Moshe L. Neumann, Leibish Friedman and Abraham L. Grussgott.
For 70 years, Štefan was registered in Slovakia only as an Arizator of Jewish property. But in 2017, he received the distinction of "Righteous Among the Nations" from Yad Vashem.
My grandparents visited us often in Prešov, or we visited them at their Bardejov house on Kratky rad street. They died when I was 6 years old, so I only have small memories of them. But I remember that my grandfather was a very good man, hardworking and honest all his life, with an entrepreneurial spirit. I know him better now after uncovering his story from the war and I am very proud of him! What he taught me is that we are all human and that the differences of religion are no excuse for not helping someone in need.
After 76 years, I had the privilege and honor to reunite with the descendants of Mr. Grussgott. One day, I would also like to find descendants of Mr. Neumann.
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This was taken during my 1st birthday in our house in Prešov. My brother Peter was 3 years old. This is the second wife of my grandfather, my step-grandmother, but she was very kind to us.
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3 of Stefan Tarcala’s children - Jozef (88), Irena (81) and my father Štefan (75) in the wheelchair.
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Do you have a story about Bardejov’s Heritage that you’d like to sketch for us?
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In an ongoing effort to continue uncovering Jewish genealogical connections in Bardejov, BJPC has been working with Genealogist, Linda Gutierrez, to research further, complete and correct the histories of Bardejov's Jewish Families.
If you have any new or more detailed information about your family, any corrections for the Memorial Book, and/or other resources that may be valuable to this research, now would be an excellent time to let us know.
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Family Story Spotlight
"The Hana Berger Selinger Family"
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Hana was born in Bardejov and lived on Hlinkovo Square. An exemption was issued and Hana was not deported. On June 6, 1941, Hana was married to Berish Selinger, a brick maker and the son of Lévi Selinger and Amália Finder. Berish worked with his father at their family-owned hardware store. On April 18, 1942, they became the proud parents of Judita (Sarah Baila). Hana was heating baby food on a kerosene cooker on September 4, 1942, when an explosion occurred and a fire broke out. Hana lost both her husband and baby daughter in the explosion and fire. Hana herself was badly burned and was taken to the hospital in Prešov. Her brother-in-law, Mendel Amster, paid off officials so that Hana was able to remain in the hospital until her wounds healed. When she was released from the hospital she went to Munkacs using false papers she had received from Abrahám Spiegel. Hana was in Hungary for the remainder of the war, moving from place to place to stay safe. After the war she returned to Bardejov and in 1947 Hana married Marcus Berger. They left Slovakia for Paris, France, in 1949 and in 1951 moved to Sydney, Australia. From Australia they immigrated to the United States in 1966. Hana died in Los Angeles, California, in 2012. She and Marcus had one daughter, Erika, three grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
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Hana Berger Sellinger on her Wedding Day In 1941. Back row from Left: Julia Neumann, Sheinkou (Shari) Zimmerman, Unidentified, Rosa Spira Rosenwasser, Esther Dershowitz Nagel, Hilda Rosenwasser Horny, Cili Sellinger, Blanka Spiegel Garfein and Unidentified Woman. Seated with the bride, to her Right: Ila Händler Fisch and Furthest From Her Left was Her Mother, Leah Spira Berger. Seated in front on the far Right was Jack Garfein.
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You may read more about Bardejov's Jewish families in our Memorial Book of Jewish Bardejov
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Don't forget to send us your photos and documents for inclusion in our new publication! We are slowly narrowing down our selections for the book and would love to receive any more submissions before making our final decisions.
If you have any photos or documents relevant to our work that you’d like to share, please reply to this email or call us at 626-773-8808.
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Our mission is to preserve Bardejov’s Jewish Heritage, memorialize and honor Bardejov Holocaust victims, and conduct educational outreach to school and community groups to teach tolerance and diversity. The Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee relies on on the support of generous individuals like you. Please consider a donation today.
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TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT BJPC:
If you have any friends, or know of someone who may be interested in our organization, please invite them to fill out our mailing list request form so that they can receive updates and information from us.
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