from Cheryl Alvarez :

I am looking for any information regarding the town Pruchnik (now in
Poland). My grandfather was born and raised there, born approximately
1895 and I believe then a part of Galicia.

Cheryl,

I've been under the impression that Pruchnik is already included in the
Kolbuszowa Region Research Group (KRRG), but it appears that I was wrong.
Pruchnik is located some 40 miles >from Kolbuszowa which exclude this town

from the adopted by KRRG circle of the 30 miles radius. It is pity indeed

because to my best knowledge very little research has been done or
published on the Jewish Pruchnik.

According to WOWW gazetteer, Jewish population of town was 877 souls which
has constituted more than 50% of the total population (1,697 per 1921 census
data).

Town is located in Jaroslaw district, some 17 WNW miles >from Przemysl or 10
miles SW >from Jaroslaw. Till today town is physically subdivided into
Pruchnik Miasto (Town) and Pruchnik Wies (Village), two independent but
adjacent ( 1 mile apart) administration entities.

Miasto has typically identified the 'downtown' or the commercial core of the
town, where Jewish people used to reside.

As I have mentioned, very little can be found on Jewish Pruchnik. There is
no listing for a town Yizkor Book, there is no listing for the existence of
the remainder of the town Jewish cemetery, there is very little indeed.

There are 28 data entries for Pruchnik made by 22 researchers in the JGFF
system.

The 1929 Poland Business Directory for Pruchnik Miasto is located on page
755. To view names please visit:
http://data.jewishgen.org/jri-pl/1929/loadtop.htm?0755

As always, this directory ignores Jewish population participation. It
points out that the town had one Roman Catholic and one Greek Catholic
churches neglecting even to mention existence of a synagogue, but as one
reads the list of local businessmen, he will see that more than half of them
were Jewish.

Your family name is listed under the header: "Blawaty" (haberdashers) as
GOLDMAN S.

Just out of curiosity, I have visited Pruchnik websites made by the local
enthusiasts to review if there is anything at all has been said about the
town's Judaica.

1. http://www.pruchnik.prv.pl/

This site describes that the town has been noted already in the 14th century
and that it has been founded by Polish genre family Pruchnicki. The town is
characterized by medieval urban planning with beautiful houses located in
the middle of the town that appears to be taken >from the legend. These
houses are typically sitting on pillars and they are encircled by decks and
balconies.

And here comes the town's Judaica:

..." local people attachment to the town history and tradition is not
limited to the architecture. Town residents with the great care cultivate
old town traditions. Every year during the period >from Good Friday till
Easter town celebrates Judah Trial. The Jan Killinski guards that are
guarding Easter Sepulchre are dressed in the traditional 19 century
costumes."


2. http://www.republika.pl/budzinski_1/historia.html

This site deals with Pruchnik history and it claims that Pruchnik name was
not originated >from the noble Pruchnicki family. Pruchnik has been always a
private town, own originally by Pruchnicki family, the founders and the last
owner in 1929 was countess Klementyna Szembek.

During earlier years of the Austrian Galicia, the town population was as
follows:
In 1785 town lists 1,290 Roman Catholics, 310 Greek Catholics and 200 Jews

About 100 years later, in 1888, the town lists 740 Roman CAtholics, 188
Greek Catholics and 188 Izraelites

There are two pictures of the town's Market Square made in 1930 and
nowadays. Nothing really has changed too much on this picture in the last
70+ years.

3. http://www.republika.pl/budzinski_1/

This is a site that shows pictures of the above mentioned "Judah Trial" and
the costumed guards. The tradition goes back to the 19th century.

--

Alexander Sharon
Calgary, Alberta