Introduction

Dąbrowa Białostocka is a town in Sokółka County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland. As of December 2021, the town has a population of 5,305.

Jewish History of Dąbrowa Białostocka

Early Jewish Presence and Interwar Period

The Jewish community of Dąbrowa Białostocka, also known as Dąbrowa Grodzieńska, flourished between the 18th and early 20th centuries. By the interwar period, approximately 2,400 Jews resided in the town, accounting for about half of its population. The community maintained religious, cultural, and educational institutions, including a Tarbut school and various Zionist political organizations. Jewish residents were integral to the town's economic and social fabric, with many involved in trade and artisanal crafts.

The Holocaust

In September 1939, the German army occupied Dąbrowa Białostocka, but control soon passed to the Soviet Union under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. The situation drastically changed in June 1941, with the launch of Operation Barbarossa. The Germans re-occupied the town, burning many buildings, including homes and community infrastructure. Most of the Jewish population attempted to escape to nearby towns such as Nowy Dwór and Suchowola, sharing the fate of those communities. Approximately 600 Jews who remained in Dąbrowa Białostocka were confined in a temporary ghetto housed in the town's bathhouse and cinema. These individuals were subjected to forced labor, and a group of young men was murdered during this period. In May 1942, older Jewish residents were deported to the ghetto in Suchowola. On November 2, 1942, the remaining Jews were sent to the Kiełbasin transit camp. From there, on December 14, 1942, they were transported to the Treblinka extermination camp, where they were murdered.

Post-Holocaust and Commemoration

The Jewish community of Dąbrowa Białostocka was completely annihilated during the Holocaust. Post-war, no significant Jewish population returned to the town. However, the legacy of the Jewish community is honored through various commemorative projects. One notable initiative is Kaddish for Dąbrowa Białostocka, a series of artworks by Mark Podwal that memorializes the town's Jewish history and pays tribute to its victims. Additionally, local efforts include memorial plaques and a mural project to preserve the memory of the once-thriving Jewish community.

Demographics

Notable people