Kronika Powiatu Rohatyńskiego – The Rohatyn County Chronicle – Rohatyn Jewish Heritage (original) (raw)
Written by Fr. Biesiadecki
Original of the document is in the Archives of the Land in Lwow (Archiwum Ziemskiem we Lwowie).
page 7~8 Latin not translated
page 8~9 Polish:
Władysław IV, from the Grace of God King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Russia, Prussia, Mazovia, Zmudz, Baltikum, Sweden, Gottland, Vandaland, hereditary King, elected Great Car in Moscow.
We declare to all together and each one of the those, who should be informed, our wish as per the below letter. According to the laws of the Polish Republic and its cities and all the laws signed by the coronation parliament and by the King, in response to humble request of Rohatyn Jews, we confirm herewith their rights and privileges to: own houses and pieces of land where they live, establish synagogues and chapels (kirchowa), run stores with food, led and beverages, brew beer, produce honey, distill spirits, trade with cattle per piece and herds as well, and all of that in the old/usual marketplace, and all that, without any exception, on equal rights with other citizens in accordance to once given privileges and old customs/habits. They shall also pay taxes based on equal duties with other citizens. They are not obliged to pay any other tributes, but they have to live in accordance with the current laws. All rights and privileges, which the Jews have since previous times, are confirmed herewith, as long as they are not in conflict with general laws, and everyone is obliged to obey the these, because our wish is the everlasting duration of these privileges. To confirm we sign this letter with the royal stamp:
Warsaw, XXVIII of March anno Domini MDCXXXIII, the first year of our reign in the lands of Poland and Sweden Wladislaus rex. Marcus Skibicki Secretary
page 9 Latin not translated (here one can see the signature of another Polish King): Lwow, XXI of May anno Domini MDCLXIII, our reign in Poland and Sweden XV, Ioannes Casimirus (Jan Kazimierz) rex. Stephanus Hankiewicz secretary.
page 9 Polish:
At the end, the ones of different faith the Jews from Rohatyn, brought us as a supplication to keep the Tuesday’s fair, as it took place since previous times. The Jews are ready to show documents for evidence. We are seeing the destruction and losses made to the Jews by enemies in other countries, so our wish is to see their trade and their profits grow and reassuring, we agree herewith to maintain the Tuesday as the fair day.
Page 9~10 Latin not translated (here one can see the signature of another Polish King:
Krakow, XXII November anno Domini MCLXIX, Michael rex.
Moses Goldschlag and Salomon Mark
Rohatyner value coupons
Not long ago, during World War I, many paper vouchers were produced to replace real money and coins. We all know them. But even in moments of small historical riots/revolution, people were issuing coupons. Here we present you some examples dated 1849 and issued in our area. Both specimens come from the collection of the Lubomirski Family Museum in Lwów. The smaller one is from Bukaczowce and the larger one was issued in Rohatyn. (coupons are translated from German)
Chaim Grauberg
3 Kreuzer C.M.III
No III
The below signing will pay for each twenty such stamps one Gulden in Austrian banknote.
Rohatyn June 10, 1849
Moses Goldschlag and (handwritten) Salomon Mark, Sekt
Order to pay
Worth 10 cents in coin
The lessee of land in Bukaczowce will pay for each six of these orders one Gulden in banknote Chaim Grauberg
Additional Article Summaries
On the founding of the city of Rohatyn:
The settlement was first mentioned (1372~1378) while the Prince Wladyslaw Opolczyk was ruling Red Russia. For unknown reasons the settlement was fully destroyed, and established in 1415 for the second time by a Red Russian Land Lord Woloczko Przysluzyc. He located the city based on German law in a place called Filipowice before and “donated plenty of land”. His son Iwaszko was prosecuted of betrayal and in 1432 the King Wladyslaw Jagiello ordered to confiscate the whole county (Rohatyn and 14 villages. An aristocratic family Chodecki de Powala (from Chodecz in Western Poland) acquired the county (among others) on 24 June 1433 and started the development and a welfare era even a gold smith established his business (his name was Andrzej and one craft man: Stanisław was his employee). The area became rich and the neighbors were more and more eager to posses it.
A list of additional journal topics:
– the “tragedy of 1509” when Moldavian Prince Bohdan burned down the city and all villages in the area
– the battle with Tatars in 1618
– the battle with Bolsheviks in 1920
– celebration of the 10th anniversary of independence of the Second Polish Republic
– exact descriptions of Catholic and Orthodox churches, their architecture and treasures
– memorials and monuments in the area related to Catholic religion
– description of noble families
– notes about other villages in the Rohatyn county
– Polish society events (donations for a museum, visits of important persons)
– celebrations of the 3May Constitution Day
Lviv Stefanyk Library documents acquired by Dr. Alex Feller for the Rohatyn District Research Group (RDRG). Translation by Robert Gruszczynski for the RDRG.