Friday, June 10, 2011
More on Telsiai, Lithuania
It was called Telz in Yiddish. This town is one of the oldest towns in Lithuania and is in the NW part, the Zemaitija region on the shores of Lake Mastis. It was even mentioned in the chronicles of a Crusader Order in 1320.
In 1710 the Swedes invaded and it suffered badly. Two thirds of its population died from epidemics at that time.
Until 1795 it was part of the Polish-Lithuanian Kingdom, when the 3rd division of Poland by the 3 superpowers of those times; Russia, Prussia and Austria, caused Lithuania to become partly Russian and Partly Prussian. Telz fell under Czarist Russian rule, first from 1802 as part of the Vilna Gubernia or Province and from 1843 as part of the Kovno Province or Gubernia.
1812 came with Napoleon's retreating army going through leaving behind desolation and a big gun, now in the town park.
The town was damaged in the Polish rebellions of 1831 and 1863.
Jewish Settlement
Jews settle in Telz at the beginning of the 17th century. In 1800 the municipal council established included 3 Jewish delegates, but in 1804 they were removed at the request of the Christian delegates.
1,650 Jews lived in the city out of 2,500 population. That's 66% being Jewish. In 1758 they suffered from "Blood Libels" and agin in 1827. Tlhe result was that the Jews suffered througha period of fear. Christians also saw Jews as competitors in producing and selling alcohol, so in 1825 the nobles asked the Tsar to expel the Jews because they "spread diseases and threaten to rob and to steal."
In the Polish rebellion of 1831 they suffered from the rebels and Cossacks. One was hung. Authorities started to arm the population against the rebels and the Jews asked not for the guns as they didn[t know how to use them or to fight but that they would be suppliers of steel, leather, gunpowder, and they agreed.
Years of familne were 1869-1872, just before and after my grandfather was born in 1871. By 1870 there were 6,481 people in Telz including 4,399 Jews. That's now 68%, and in 1897 there were 6,000 residents and of them 3,088 were Jews, down to 51%. Already Jews were immigrating to England and the United States as well as Argentina and South Africa. This immigration went on till WWI.
Persecutions and pogroms against Jews happened in the 1880's in Ukraine and other places. Telz Jews had their self confidence damaged because of being conscripted into the army for 6 years, another reason for immigration. From 1870 to 1923 the Jewish population decreased by 2,854 Telz Jews. 1893, when my grandfather was by then in Ireland, a cholera epidemic took many Telz victims, especially among the poor. who lived in overcrowed conditions with bad hygienic conditions. The rich gave money for the poor to have medicines, disinfeftants and medical help. It was then that the Telz Jewish hospital was established.
What work was there for Jews? The answer is commerce, crafts and peddling. In 1841 there were 25 Jewish artisans; 14 tailors, 10 shoemakers and one watchmaker and many wandering artisans. Up till WWI there was a strong organization of them helping their members with loans for buyhing raw materials and tools.
There were several Jewish merchants who had big businesses of grains and flax and made a good living. I had heard that a Goldfus was a dealer in corn and even had a pass into Russia out of the Pale of Settlement. Several were textile merchants who imported goods from Germany. Ya'akov Rabinovitz was one and I've seen that surname pop up as a dna match to me, I believe.
The Telz "Yeshivah" was built in 1880 by 3 young men, an Openheim, Atlas and Abel. It became the main institution of orthodox education. By 1889 it had about 400 students and was one of the greatest in the world. Next door was a preparatory class called Yeshivah Ketanah for boys age 10-16. It was the source of income for many families who supplied rooms and food for many of the students. They also maintained the gardens. In the 1880's many Jewish families earned their living by living in the surrounding villages. The economic situation was difficult. There were poor people on welfare and some beggers going from house to house. The town housed 4 synagogues.
Between the army and famines as well as the economic conditions, it is no wonder my grandfather left town for the USA. But first he went to England and then Ireland trying to make up his mind and collecting enough money. The shame of it all is that by the time he got to Idaho, he only lived for 7 more years and died around the age of 40.
from Dennis Kahn: Goldfus is: “surname found in Tel’shi, Shavli, and Rossieny. It is an artificial surname, spelled goldfus [Northeastern dialect of Yiddish], Goldfuss [German] and means golden foot. That explains Goldfoot [English].” This shows that our Goldfoot line does certainly come from Telsiai along with the other towns mentioned here as well as others I've found.
Reference: Preserving Our Litvak Heritage by Josef Rosin and Joel Alpert, Editor, published by JewishGen, Inc.
http://litvak-cemetery.info/ Great site to see Vilnius cemetery, translate into English at bottom of page. Also translates into many other languages.
In 1710 the Swedes invaded and it suffered badly. Two thirds of its population died from epidemics at that time.
Until 1795 it was part of the Polish-Lithuanian Kingdom, when the 3rd division of Poland by the 3 superpowers of those times; Russia, Prussia and Austria, caused Lithuania to become partly Russian and Partly Prussian. Telz fell under Czarist Russian rule, first from 1802 as part of the Vilna Gubernia or Province and from 1843 as part of the Kovno Province or Gubernia.
1812 came with Napoleon's retreating army going through leaving behind desolation and a big gun, now in the town park.
The town was damaged in the Polish rebellions of 1831 and 1863.
Jewish Settlement
Jews settle in Telz at the beginning of the 17th century. In 1800 the municipal council established included 3 Jewish delegates, but in 1804 they were removed at the request of the Christian delegates.
1,650 Jews lived in the city out of 2,500 population. That's 66% being Jewish. In 1758 they suffered from "Blood Libels" and agin in 1827. Tlhe result was that the Jews suffered througha period of fear. Christians also saw Jews as competitors in producing and selling alcohol, so in 1825 the nobles asked the Tsar to expel the Jews because they "spread diseases and threaten to rob and to steal."
In the Polish rebellion of 1831 they suffered from the rebels and Cossacks. One was hung. Authorities started to arm the population against the rebels and the Jews asked not for the guns as they didn[t know how to use them or to fight but that they would be suppliers of steel, leather, gunpowder, and they agreed.
Years of familne were 1869-1872, just before and after my grandfather was born in 1871. By 1870 there were 6,481 people in Telz including 4,399 Jews. That's now 68%, and in 1897 there were 6,000 residents and of them 3,088 were Jews, down to 51%. Already Jews were immigrating to England and the United States as well as Argentina and South Africa. This immigration went on till WWI.
Persecutions and pogroms against Jews happened in the 1880's in Ukraine and other places. Telz Jews had their self confidence damaged because of being conscripted into the army for 6 years, another reason for immigration. From 1870 to 1923 the Jewish population decreased by 2,854 Telz Jews. 1893, when my grandfather was by then in Ireland, a cholera epidemic took many Telz victims, especially among the poor. who lived in overcrowed conditions with bad hygienic conditions. The rich gave money for the poor to have medicines, disinfeftants and medical help. It was then that the Telz Jewish hospital was established.
What work was there for Jews? The answer is commerce, crafts and peddling. In 1841 there were 25 Jewish artisans; 14 tailors, 10 shoemakers and one watchmaker and many wandering artisans. Up till WWI there was a strong organization of them helping their members with loans for buyhing raw materials and tools.
There were several Jewish merchants who had big businesses of grains and flax and made a good living. I had heard that a Goldfus was a dealer in corn and even had a pass into Russia out of the Pale of Settlement. Several were textile merchants who imported goods from Germany. Ya'akov Rabinovitz was one and I've seen that surname pop up as a dna match to me, I believe.
The Telz "Yeshivah" was built in 1880 by 3 young men, an Openheim, Atlas and Abel. It became the main institution of orthodox education. By 1889 it had about 400 students and was one of the greatest in the world. Next door was a preparatory class called Yeshivah Ketanah for boys age 10-16. It was the source of income for many families who supplied rooms and food for many of the students. They also maintained the gardens. In the 1880's many Jewish families earned their living by living in the surrounding villages. The economic situation was difficult. There were poor people on welfare and some beggers going from house to house. The town housed 4 synagogues.
Between the army and famines as well as the economic conditions, it is no wonder my grandfather left town for the USA. But first he went to England and then Ireland trying to make up his mind and collecting enough money. The shame of it all is that by the time he got to Idaho, he only lived for 7 more years and died around the age of 40.
from Dennis Kahn: Goldfus is: “surname found in Tel’shi, Shavli, and Rossieny. It is an artificial surname, spelled goldfus [Northeastern dialect of Yiddish], Goldfuss [German] and means golden foot. That explains Goldfoot [English].” This shows that our Goldfoot line does certainly come from Telsiai along with the other towns mentioned here as well as others I've found.
Reference: Preserving Our Litvak Heritage by Josef Rosin and Joel Alpert, Editor, published by JewishGen, Inc.
http://litvak-cemetery.info/ Great site to see Vilnius cemetery, translate into English at bottom of page. Also translates into many other languages.
Labels: Telsiai Jewish History
