The Torah of Kromericz

Holocaust Torahs

Libochovice MST Torah Scrolls

Libochovice is located in the north of Bohemia in the region of Litomerice not far from the concentration camp of Theresienstadt which is in the same district. According to some sources the Jewish settlement in Libochovice dated from about 1463.Other sources claim the majority of Jews moved there in 1583 from the nearby village of Radovesice.  The fact is the town of Lobochovice in 1583 sold a piece of fallow land to the "Jews living in ::ibochovice at present and in the future to bury their dead". The oldest existing gravestone is from 1588and others are from the early 17th century. In 1654 thre were 12 Jews living in Libochovice and in 1717 already 85. In 1846 37 Jewish families totalling 261 persons lived in the town, being 17.5% of the population.

In the 17th century the Jews were craftsmen, working very hard to make a meager living for their families. They were tailors, butchers, soapmakers, glazers etc. Soon some started to trade. First there were peddlers and then they were able to establish businesses and most of them became well to do. In 1856 there were 18 Jewish businesses and 15 Christian ones in Libochovice and there were 4 Jewish and 5 Christian butchers.

The Jews of Libochovice were mostly Orthodox and were usually against any religious reforms.They believed in the traditional form of the service and the preservation of the old customs.  The first synagogue was a wooden structure and only replaced later by a stone one. In 1809 a fire destroyed the synagogue. Only in 1835 was a new one built with the help of the authorities. The furnishings were exquisite with large and ornate chandelier, antique cabdlesticks, silver ornaments, gorgeous torah mantles, Sifrei Torah including one donated in 1850 by Abraham Lederer that was especially well written and outstanding in beauty.

As in all Jewish communities in Bohemia and Moravia there was Jewish education in Libochovice since the Jews first settled there. The first remaining records are in the towns records of 1726.  Up until 1820 when a Cheder was strated the Jewish teachers went to the homes to instrucct the children in Hebrew and the Talmud. Following legislation from the Emperor Franz Joseph ll, Jewish children started going to the public schools, in which the laguage taught was Czech.. From 1827 to 1898 there was also a Jewish private school. As a result the children were educated in Czech, German and Hebrew.  A Chevra Kadisha (organisation to arrange funerals) was set up in 1650 and in 1850 there was a 200 year Jubilee celebrated. Over the years many other Jewish institutions also existed.The prosperous and ancient ciommunity of Libochovice fell victim to Nazi decimation and whoever could not escapewere sent to concentration and extermination camps, with the community ceasing to exist in 1940.