DEAR READER! A rich chapter of the peculiar and determinant history of Kisvárda is reflected in this chronicle of the Jews in the city. Written notices mention them as far back as the 1500-s. By the 18th and 19th century the Jewish community arises in resolute numbers, playing an indelible role in the civic evolution of our settlement. Kisvárda was one of the stations on the roadway of suffering, through, which the people of the Diaspora were to reach the homeland of Jewish fulfilling. In that small islet of Europe the Jewish settlers could find a home for a fraction of the historical times. The age-old behest - "tell it to your children" - evokes not only the tears of remembrance. The annals document civic prosperity, spiritual wealth, workdays filled with keeping of the traditions, temple-building and founding of schools. I am convinced that the study of István Nézõ deserves the appreciation of the reader. It is validated not only by historic documentation based on a multitude of detailed sources, it likewise has a claim on a broad perspective. In addition to dealing with his main theme, the author points out the general relationship to that local society. But there is not only historical interest this study. The present-day populace may be captivated by the idea that they are citizens of a community, which has a centuries-old history of open-mindedness, a community whose prominent members were listened to, in county and state affairs. We are all familiar with the Jewish tragedy of our century, the Holocaust, which destroyed a significant part of the Kisvárda citizenry: many of them died, and many were forced to leave their native land. Their memory did not fade in the twilight of oblivion - especially in the last years there were numerous occasions for official remembrances. I refer specifically to the twin- city joining with the Israeli community of Carmiel, a link which is growing constantly stronger. It is quite natural that in addition to its scientific valuation, we feel a moral obligation in the fulfillment and publication of this study. This work is a milestone in our local annals. I commend it sincerely and open-heartedly to the broadest reading audience Kisvárda, May 1998. Dr. Albert Oláh. Mayor of the city of Kisvárda. Everything written in this "Italic" type of font is not part of the original text, it is added by the translator for ease of understanding. The translator added a G L O S S A R Y of terms at the end of every chapter, following the bibliography, in order to explain terms and names that may not be familiar to people who do not speak Hungarian and/or do no know the Hungarian history. The FOREWORD of Dr. Péter Robert that figures in Hebrew, Hungarian and English on pages 8-11 of the original, is not included in this translation. THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN KISVÁRDA. Their life and history. A study by István Nezö. Published by ARDLEA, Nyiregyháza 1998. Translated from the Hungarian original by Henry C. Tausk M.D. PAGE 2: The author, the editor and the publisher are hereby expressing their gratitude for the documents, recollections, professional help and support to the following: The self-government of the Kisvárda township The Public Scientific Foundation of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County Alfréd Schöner (Budapest) András György (München) Gábor Eichler (New York) Efraim Agmon (Jerusalem) Mrs. Nichtburg, Marika Weinberger (London). Author: István Nézö Reviewed: Dr. Péter Robert Edited: Sándor Marik Planner: Tamás Nagy English translation (foreword): Sándor P. Marik Hebrew translation (foreword): Aron Yurovitch Photograph on front page: Attila Balázs Photographs: Emil Elek, Petur Lörinczy, Tibor D. Papp and the archives. Ardlea Edition, Nyiregyháza, 1998. ISBN: 963 85702 2 9. The following list of sources is on page 142 of the original Hungarian language version, located at the end of chapter X. List of works used as sources: - Nicholas de Lange: The Atlas of the Jewish World - Budapest, Helikon edition - Hungarian Book Club, 1996, p. 240. - Simon Dubnov: The history of the Jews - Budapest, Gondolat edition, - Betlehen Gábor Book Editors, 1991, p.261. - Tibor Erényi: The history of the Jews in Hungary, from the conquest to our days - Budapest, Utmutato edition, 1996, p. 128. - Martin Gilbert: Jewish Historical Atlas - Budapest, Gondolat edition, 1981, p. 124. - Lászlo Gonda: The Jews in Hungary 1526-1945 - Budapest, Századvég edition, 1992, p.338. - Seven decades in the life of Jews in their native land, ed. by Ferenc L. Lendvai, Anikó Sohár, Pál Horváth - Budapest, MTA Institute of Philosophy, 1990, vol. 1, p. 280. vol. 2, p. 300. - Viktor Karády: The Jews, Modernization, Unfolding Middle Class, Studies - Budapest, Cserépfalvi edition, 1997, p.324. - Anikó Prekup: The Jews in Central and Eastern Europe in the 19-th and 20-th centuries - Debrecen, Csokonai edition, 1997, p.264. - Lexicon of the Jewish ecclesiastical life, ed. Károly Jólesz - Budapest, Akadémia edition, 1993, p.261. - The history of Jewish education in Hungary. Scientific Congress in Budapest 1994. Editor in charge László Balogh - Budapest, OPKM, 1996, p.127. - Jewish Lexicon, edited by Peter Ujvári, - Wien, Blackburn International Corporation, 1987, p.1028. - The world history of the Jews from the time of the patriarchs to the present day, compiled by Élie Barnavi - Budapest, Gemini Budapest, 1995, p. 299. - The figures of the Jewish population by townships 1840-1941. - Budapest, KSH, 1993, p. 497. I. The immigration of the Jews into the Carpathian provinces. According to the literature dealing with this topic, the immigration of the Jews is marked by four stages. The first findings from the 3d to 4th centuries allude to the presence of Jews from Syria and Asia Minor. Subsequently we know about 11-th century migrations coming from the South German provinces. That was the time when the status of the Jews was first legitimized, the first decrees referring to the Jews (prohibition of mixed marriages, the ban on employing non-Jewish servants, forbidding work on Sundays and Christian holidays) having been enacted in the year 1092 by the Council of Szabolcs. During the reign of Lajos I (a), there was a hiatus in the Jewish continuity, and after the battle of Mohács (b) the Jewish communities disappeared again. The third period of the immigration concurred with the duration of the Turkish rule, and ceased with its ending. Our subject coincides with the fourth period of crucial importance in the history of the Jews in Hungary. It started with the expulsion of the Turks (c), and was determined by the loss of population in the realm. People streamed into this deserted area, and Jews were part of the tide, which had slowed down temporarily only during the freedom fight of Rákóczy (d).. During the next two centuries the number of Jews swelled from a couple of thousand to a seven digit number. Throughout this period one can again distinguish two stages. The first one is the settling down, spontaneous as well as organized. It was condoned to a certain limit and degree by the Royal Chambers and the large estates. They were prompted by the requirements to provide for the needs of the army, the fiscal and mercantile adjustments, and the levies exacted from the Jews. The next stage is oftentimes an inner migration, it is a move from the more crowded territories into the newly developing, less populated areas. The portrayal of this fourth period is made easier by the repeated conscriptions of the 18th century. This is the time when an ever increasing number of Jews can be documented in Kisvárda. G L O S S A R Y : a/. Lajos I, was the second Angevine king of Hungary. He ruled in the 14th century and revoked all the privileges the Jews had previously enjoyed. b/. The battle of Mohács was fought in 1521. Suleiman the Magnificent annihilated the Hungarian armies and Lajos II, the Hungarian king, died in the battle. It is considered to be one of the most grievous dates in national history. c/. The Turks were defeated and the royal city of Buda was reconquered at the end of the 17th century. d/. The prince Ferenc Rákoczy has led an unsuccessful revolt against the Habsburg imperial rule in the 18th century. II. The chronicle of the Jews in Kisvárda. The first trace of the apparition of a Jew in Kisvárda is noted in the year 1508. It is a notice in one of the accounting-books of a local gentry family, the Várdays. In the expense columns of the accounts of Miklós de Kyswarada, among items referring to financial data concerning viticulture, there is the following notation: "Item Judeo propter ferri dedi den XXXVII" (I gave 37 denars for iron to the Jew).(1). The writer of these lines presumably may have been the steward of the fort, being in charge of the accounting for incomes and expenses. The notice does not provide adequate information on whether the Jew was settled in Kisvárda proper, or if he was just an itinerant peddler. The settling of the Jews in larger numbers occurred much later and is linked to the Eszterházy family. Miklós Eszterházy had married Krisztina Nyári, the daughter of Pál Nyári and Kata Várdy. Furthermore another family member, Pál Eszterházy, had received as mortgage the estate of Kisvárda in 1702. The implementation of this transaction was effected in 1712, that being the date of the contract, in-between the owner and the commonalty of the estate. During the Middle Ages, the settling of the Jews was a royal privilege. By the end of the 17th century, this task was taken over mostly by the large estate owners.