Jewish Charitable Organizations in Polish Kingdom (1898–1914)

Abstract

The aim of the work is to present Jewish charity societies in Polish Kingdom; their legal basis for legalization by the state administration, chronology, geography, social position of the founders, changes in the goals of activity and its results, the attitude of state authorities. The source basis are archival files created by the provincial state administration, which legalized and supervised the organization's activities. The press largely ignored Jewish charities organizations, and the information published about them was imprecise. The incomplete state of preservation of the archival collections created by the provincial offices limits the presentation of the issue. Socio-economic changes among Jews in Polish Kingdom in the second half of the 19th century led to an increase in the number of the poor. The first Jewish charitable organizations of a general nature were legalized by the state administration in 1898. In the years 1902–1905, their registration was discontinued. During the period when the state authorities regulated social life (1894–1906), at least 14 societies were legalized. Their founders were bankers, factory owners and great merchants. In the period of liberalization of social life (1906–1914), at least 102 independent organizations and 13 of their branches were registered. They specialized mainly in acting. The outbreak of the revolution in 1905 stimulated the social activation of: traders, craftsmen, private officials and freelancers who began to take part in creating charity organizations. Women also made them. The greatest number of Jewish charitable societies was established in the governorates and large cities that were most advanced in transformations.