Territorial Collection, Poland 1

The Territorial Collection Poland 1 consists of miscellaneous materials that are arranged topically, and which relate to Jewish life in pre-World War II Poland. The Territorial Collection-Poland 1 is but a portion of the greater Territorial Collection, which incorporates materials that are relevant to over 42 different countries and geographical regions. The Poland 1 Collection precedes the Poland 2 and 3 Collections, which pertain respectively to the Holocaust and post-World War II periods.

The Territorial Collection Poland 1 consists of personal letters, post cards, and official correspondence (much of which pertains to landsmanshaft societies in the United States), memoirs, speeches, leaflets, and newspaper clippings. The following is a general overview of the different categories of materials contained within the Territorial Collection Poland 1: (1) Yiddish press/publishing house and literary publications (e.g., Achiasaf Publishing House, “Unzer yugend,” “Grininke beymelekh”), (2) Political organizations (e.g., Jewish community and Sejm elections, Polish Socialist Party, Folkist Party, Bund, Non-Party Bloc, He-halutz, Agudas Israel), (3) Jewish education (e.g., Tarbut, TSYSHO, Yehudiah, Medem, vocational schools), (4) Religious institutions and practices (e.g., ritual slaughter, Vaad-Hayeshivot, Talmud Torah, synagogue record books), (5) Unions and clubs (e.g., Jewish Teachers’ Union, Yiddish Writers’ Union) (6) Jewish aid societies (e.g., healthcare, orphanages, children’s homes, hospitals, gemiles khesed, khevra kadisha, Medem Sanatorium), (7) Reports about antisemitism and literature of an antisemitic nature (e.g., materials pertaining to the Morgenthau Commission that investigated the pogroms of 1918-1919, cartoons, caricatures).