After a short period of extremely dynamic development of the Jewish community in Lower Silesia, a time of rapid decline has come quickly. The years 1949–1969 were characterized by increasing oppression and difficulties for the Jewish inhabitants of the region, which led to the decline of social life, cultural atrophy, and the disintegration of Jewish institutions and organizations. The hostile actions undertaken by the communist authorities include the liquidation of the Bund or the Jewish Agency, which organized the emigration to Israel.
The community’s development was stopped already in 1950. At that time, Jews could only be associated in two organizations – a religious one, i.e. the Religious Union of the Mosaic Faith, which was established in 1949 as a result of the association of the Jewish Religious Congregations, and in the secular one, i.e. the Social and Cultural Society of Jews. The climax of the oppressive actions took place in the period of the anti-Zionist campaign conducted by the communist authorities in March 1968.
The communist authorities established the Jewish Social and Cultural Society, i.e. the only official secular Jewish organization, the purpose of which was not only to propagate communist ideals, but also to have an insight into the Jewish community and exercise control over the activities of its members. Despite many difficulties and the unfavorable attitude of those in power, Jewish life in Lower Silesia was quite intense in comparison to other regions in the country. The organization was divided into individual sections, including youth or art, and at the end of the 1960s the Society, whose seat was at Świdnicka Street, was a thriving center. Numerous meetings, lectures and celebrations took place there. Looking back, it can be seen that this organization played a significant role in maintaining the continuity of Jewish life in post-war Poland.
Anti-Jewish riot
Despite the fact that in the mid-1950s the authorities allowed for the limited activities of Jewish educational and cooperative organizations, this was not a favorable time for the Jewish community. The communist authorities feared the Jews who, in their opinion, became a party in the Cold War after establishing the State of Israel. Therefore, it was decided to get rid of the population that could have been part of the “imperial intelligence measures”. Some Jews were under surveillance, and hostile moods controlled by the party were felt throughout the society of Lower Silesia. Anti-Semitic acts, aggressive inscriptions and general aversion to Jews were frequently manifested. After the war, Lower Silesia was to become a home for the Jewish community, but the socio-political situation deteriorated dramatically with each passing year. At that time, several thousand Jews from Lower Silesia decided to emigrate.
The Six-Day War and the severance of diplomatic relations with Israel contributed to another wave of top-down anti-Jewish moods in the country. Many environments carried out the campaign the Jews – and those suspected of being of Jewish origin or favoring Israel were dismissed from work. Many observers of the situation decided to leave on their own, but it was associated with the renunciation of citizenship and often property. The social ostracism and omnipresent suspicion that loomed over the Jewish community also contributed to the deterioration of the situation of Jews.
The White Stork Synagogue in 1978 (Archives of Jewish Community of Wroclaw)
In consequence, the community experienced great crisis as a result of which thousands of Jews decided to leave Poland. Among them there were outstanding individuals – intellectuals, writers, doctors and artists. Having found asylum in Israel, Western Europe or the United States, they never decided to return to Poland. It is estimated that three thousand Jews left Lower Silesia during the culminating campaign of March 1968. For those who decided to stay, life was not made easier. The communist authorities consequently seized Jewish institutions and property, and the building of the Lower Silesian Jewish Theater was taken over.
Atrophy
Among the consequences of the collapse of the social and religious life of Wroclaw Jews was for instance the fact that the commune’s property was falling into ruin. The condition of the White Stork Synagogue was deteriorating with each passing year, and in the 1960s it was almost tragic – part of the building was even in danger of collapsing. The divisions in the Jewish community made it difficult to reach an agreement on the strategy of protecting and renovating the synagogue, and time was against it. It is believed that at the end of the 1960s, the mikveh was also closed, although it survived the war in a very good condition, the infrastructure was not properly cared for over the next decades.
In the seventies, Jewish life in the city disappeared. The nationalization of the White Stork Synagogue in 1974 was a great blow to the Jewish religious community. Few prayed in the shul that remained available, and its condition was not so dramatic. The secular community also faced problems – after 1972, the communist authorities no longer wanted to expand the Jewish Social and Cultural Society, so the next two decades brought a radical reduction in the activity of the only secular Jewish organization.