History of the Jews in Békés (Hungary)

The history of the Jews in Békés, a county in Hungary, has lasted more than two centuries. Jewish settlement in Békés began in the 18th century and the population began to grow rapidly in the mid-19th century. After World War I, levels of antisemitism increased until eventually Békés's Jewish population was transferred to ghettos. Many former residents were deported to concentration or death camps. Very few survivors returned after the war, although a new synagogue was founded in the county's capitol city.

History
The history of the Jews in Békés County began the first half of the 1700s. Jews have lived in Békés County, since the 18th century. In 1768, there were only 3 Jews in the village of Vari (Gyulavari). From the end of the 18th century, the first Jewish communities were founded in Vari, Dévaványa and Békésszentandrás.

In 1836, there were 542 Jews in Békés County, but by 1870 there were 6255. From the 1850s to the First World War, a large infrastructure was built including Jewish cemeteries, synagogues, prayer-houses, mikvehs, schools and Chevra Kadishas (Békéscsaba, Gyula, Orosháza, Szeghalom, Békés, Szarvas, Battonya and Sarkad). After the war, political instability contributed to the rise of antisemitism. Laws dispossessing the Jewish community of their homes and property were implemented. Violence against Jewish areas increased, including robbery, destruction of property, and murder.

The Holocaust
From 1941, forced labour was imposed on the Jews, and all of the Jews of Békés County went either to the ghettos and/or to the concentration camps of Békéscsaba and Szolnok. Others were deported on transports to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Strasshof.

Of the estimated 6,200 Jews who were deported from Békés County, approximately 5,000 were murdered in the Holocaust. Of the 2,000 survivors, very few returned to the area and now the Békés County Jewish community is very small and is concentrated in the county's capital, Békéscsaba, where a new synagogue has been built.

Holocaust memorial days
In Békéscsaba, Orosháza, Gyula, Szarvas, Tótkomlós and Doboz - every year, in summer.

Memorials

 * Synagogues (Békéscsaba, Gyula, Békés, Orosháza, Füzesgyarmat)
 * Prayerhouses (Medgyesegyháza)
 * School-buildings (Békéscsaba, Orosháza, Dévaványa)
 * Jewish cemeteries (Körösnagyharsány, Dévaványa)