SHORT HISTORY OF
FIVE GENERATIONS OF DIRECT
KERRY´S ANCESTORS IN THE TOWN OF ÚSOV
CZECH REPUBLIC
Information re: Úsov Ancestors of Kerry Family was prepared by the working team
RESPECT AND TOLERANCE
The team documents the Jewish history and culture in former Jewish communities in the towns of Loštice, Mohelnice and Úsov in Czech Republic
The project is focused on photo documenting houses in the former Jewish quarters and tombstones in the Jewish cemeteries. The recording of oral history is also an important part of the project. We work with people who had personal and social contacts with members of the Jewish community and are now willing to share their stories, memories or documents.
History of Jewish settlement in our region goes back to 1454, but very little attention has been given to this subject so far. The project Respect and Tolerance is a small contribution to the process of filling in that absence. History of Jewish communities in the Loštice area until the Nazi occupation is a story of peaceful coexistence of Jewish and Christian inhabitants. There is plenty of evidence that in the period before WWII, Jews were fully integrated into the society and took vital part in cultural and social life of their towns.
We believe the exhibition and publication regarding the history of Jewish communities in Loštice, Mohelnice and Úsov can be used as evidence that tolerant coexistence of people with different religious and racial background was, and is, possible. In our divided world such a message is still essential and very important.
“…to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all…” Elie Wiesel
“…to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all…” Elie Wiesel
Working team
Stanton Canter, Karel Faltýnek, Petr Fialek, Hana Heidenreichová,
Lukáš Koval, Jiří Ošanec, Luděk Štipl, Josef Švábenický and Jan Weiser
Honorary member
Elie Wiesel, Winner of the Nobel Peace Priz
Illustrations on the front page
The Town Square and Jewish Quarter, Postcard, Úsov ca 1915
SHORT HISTORY OF
FIVE GENERATIONS OF DIRECT
KERRY´S ANCESTORS IN THE TOWN OF ÚSOV
(FORMERLY MÄHRISCH AUSSEE)
CZECH REPUBLIC
PREPARED BY
LUDĚK ŠTIPL
JIŘÍ OŠANEC
WITH ASSISTANCE OF
JANET & STANTON CANTER
PETR FIALEK
HANA HEIDENREICHOVÁ
USOV 2004
TOMBSTONE OF LEOPOLD LÖWY (1791–1867)
(verso)
Leopold was the grandfather of Ida Kerry.
Ida Kerry was the grandmother of John and Cameron Kerry.
Jewish cemetery in Úsov
Photo L. Štipl
Ida Kerry's father Siegfried Löwe was born in Úsov on September 12th, 1834. His father Leopold Löwy owned the house #XXVI which still exists (presently #159 Neruda Street). His grandparents, great grandparents and their families used to live in Úsov since 1716. Most of them are resting in the local Jewish
THE ABBREVIATED FAMILY TREE
The Úsov Ancestors of the Kerry Family
Please see the more detailed pedigree chart in the back
JOHN AND CAMERON KERRY
JOHN KERRY
nar. 11.12.1943, Aurora, USA
RICHARD KERRY
Father
(m. to Rosemary Isabel Forbes)
(28 Jul 1915 – 29 Jul 2000)
IDA LÖWE
Grandmother
(m. to Frederick Kerry/ Kohn)
(22 Feb 1877 in Budapest, Hung.- 19 Jan 1960, USA)
SIEGFRIED LÖWE
Great grandfather
(m. to Josephine Löw)
(12 Sep 1834 in Úsov, Czech Rep. – 31 Mar 1918 in Vienna, Austria)
LEOPOLD LÖWY
Great gr grandfather
m. to Katty Stern)
(1791 prob. in Usov - 19 Apr 1867 in Boskovice, buried in Usov)
SCHENDL
Great gr-gr grandmother
(m. to Selig Löwy)
(d. 26 Sep 1800 in Úsov, buried in Úsov)
MENKE LEIPNIKER LÖWY
Great gr-gr-gr grandfather
(m. to Golda)
(d. 29 Dec 1790 in Úsov, buried in Úsov)
ABRAHAM LEIPNIKER LÖWY
Great gr-gr-gr-gr grandfather
(m. to Torriah)
(b. ca 1700 – d. 29 Oct 1774 in Úsov, buried in Úsov)
MORDECHAI LEIPNIK
Great gr-gr-gr-gr-gr grandfather
The Chief Rabbi of Timişoara (now Rumania)
(b. ca 1680)
BARUCH
Great gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-gr grandfather
The Chief Rabbi of Timişoara (now Rumania)
(b. ca 1660)
ABRAHAM LEIPNIKER LÖWY
Great gr-gr-gr-gr grandfather
Also: ABRAHAM HA-LEVI BRODE, BEN MORDECHAI
(b. ca 1700 – d. 29 Oct 1774 in Úsov, buried in Úsov)
Abraham Leipniker Löwy came to Úsov in 1716. Both his father and grandfather used to serve as Chief Rabbis in Timişoara (now Rumania). Abraham Leipniker was elected as the chairman of the Jewish community in Úsov in 1751. He became well known for his fights for the religious rights of his congregation. Abraham was a leader of deputations to several courts, including deputations to the Imperial court in Vienna, where he succeeded thanks to his diplomatic skills. He recorded his achievements and philosophy in the writings titled: M'GILATH S'DARIM - An Unwritten Chapter in the History of the Jews of Moravia. As he mentioned in his writings, during the services on the Eighth Day of Holy Convocation, Jews of Úsov, in the recognition of his merit, used to sing the commemorative hymns, which he composed.
He lived in his own house #XXIII, which still exists in Úsov (presently #262 - 5. května Street). Abraham Leipniker played a great part in activities, which later resulted in the re-establishment of the synagogue in Úsov. This 18th century synagogue also still exists there.
THE FORMER JEWISH QUARTER WITH THE SYNAGOGUE
Úsov 2004
Photo J. Velíšek
RECORD RE: ABRAHAM LEIPNIKER LÖWY
Register of the Jewish Cemetery
Úsov 1920's
ABRAHAM LEIPNIKER LÖWY cont.
TOMBSTONE OF ABRAHAM LEIPNIKER LÖWY
|
HOUSE #XXIII
|
RECORD RE: ABRAHAM LEIPNIKER AND HIS HOUSE #XXIII
Land Register Book for the Jewish Community in Úsov (1783 – 1835)
TESTAMENT OF ABRAHAM LEIPNIKER LÖWY
An example of his handwriting and drawing, Úsov 1771 Ink on laid paper
MENKE LEIPNIKER LÖWY
Great gr-gr-gr grandfather
Also: MENKA, EMANUEL FLEISCHMANN (d. 29 Dec 1790 in Úsov, buried in Úsov)
He was the son of Abraham Leipniker and the father of Schendl. Menke lived with his family in the house # XXV, which still stands in Úsov (presently #158 Neruda Street).
PLACE OF MENKE'S LAST REST
Jewish cemetery in Úsov, (row 24, grave 21)
Photo J. Ošanec
RECORD RE: MENKE
Register of the Jewish Cemetery, Úsov 1920's
HOUSE #XXV
Presently #158 Neruda Street
Úsov 2004
Photo J. Ošanec
RECORD RE: MENKE (EMANUEL) LEIPNIKER
AND HIS HOUSE #XXV
Land Register Book for the Jewish Community
in Úsov (1783 – 1835)
SCHÖNDL
Great gr-gr grandmother
Also: SCHENDEL, SCHANDL, SCHENDLE, SCHEINDEL
(d. 26 Sep 1800 in Úsov, buried in Úsov)
She was the daughter of Menke Leipniker Löwy and the wife of Selig (Salomon) Löwy. Selig was born about 1741 and died on October 3rd, 1846 in Úsov. Schöndl and Selig were parents of Leopold Löwy. They used to live in the house #XXVI, which still exists (presently #159 Neruda Street). Selig bought the house on October 18th, 1790 from his father Israel Löbl.
TOMBSTONE OF SCHÖNDL
|
TOMBSTONE OF SELIG LÖWY
|
RECORD RE: SCHÖNDL
Register of the Jewish Cemetery
Úsov 1920´s
RECORD RE: SELIG (SALOMON) LÖWY AND HIS HOUSE #XXVI
Land Register Book for the Jewish Community in Úsov
(1783 – 1835)
ISRAEL LÖBL
Great gr-gr-gr grandfather
Also: JEHUDA ARJE-LEIB, LOB, LÖB, SEGAL LÖWY
(d. 08 Nov 1790 in Úsov, buried in Úsov)
Son of Israel ha-Levi Löwy. He married Jittelle. They were parents of Selig Löwy and grandparents of Leopold Löwy. Israel Löbl acquired the house #XXVI and shortly before his death (1790) he sold it to his son Selig. The house became the home for several generations of the Löwy family. The house still stands in Úsov - presently #159 Neruda Street.
TOMBSTONE OF ISRAEL LÖBL
| 
HOUSE #XXVI |
RECORD RE: ISRAEL LÖBL
Register of the Jewish Cemetery, Úsov 1920´s
RECORD RE: ISRAEL LÖBL AND HIS HOUSE # XXVI
Land Register Book for the Jewish Community in Úsov (1783 – 1835)
LEOPOLD LÖWY
Great gr grandfather
Also: ARIE LÖB, LÖBEL SELIG LEWY, LÖWI
(1791 prob. in Úsov - 19 Apr 1867 in Boskovice, buried in Úsov
On March 10th, 1814 he bought a part of the house #XXVI from his father Selig Löwy. He married Katty Stern of “Rosinka“. Leopold bought the second part of the house from his father on September 14th, 1834. Two days after that – on September 16th their son Siegfried Löwy was born there. Siegfried was the father of Ida (Löwe) Kerry and the great grandfather of John and Cameron Kerry.
TOMBSTONE OF LEOPOLD
| 
CERTIFICATE OF NATIVE DOMICILE |
TOMBSTONE OF KATTY
The wife of Leopold Löwy
Jewish cemetery in Brno
Photo J. Ošanec
RECORD RE: LEOPOLD LÖWY AND HIS HOUSE #XXVI
Main Land Register Book for the Jewish Community in Úsov (1799 – 1880)
SIEGFRIED LÖWE
Great grandfather
Also: SZIGFRID LÖWI, LÖWY
(12 Sep 1834 in Úsov – 31 Mar 1918 in Vienna, Austria)
He was born in Úsov in the house #XXVI (presently #159 Neruda Street) as a son of Leopold and Katty Löwy. Later he changed his name to Löwe. He married Josephine Löw of Boskovice on March 20th 1870. Their daughter Ida (Löwe) Kerry later became a grandmother of John and Cameron Kerry.
TOWN SQUARE
Postcard, Úsov 1900
In the left: the house #XXVI, where Siegfried Löwe was born. He was the father of Ida (Löwe)
Kerry and the great grandfather of John and Cameron Kerry. This house still exists in Úsov.
RECORD RE: SIEGFRIED LÖWY RESIDING
IN ÚSOV IN THE HOUSE #XXVI
Census 1857, Úsov
HOUSE #XXVI
Presently #159 Neruda Street, Úsov 2004(1783 – 1835)
Photo J. Ošanec
M'GILATH S'DARIM
Úsov ca 1770
An Unwritten Chapter in the History of the Jews of Moravia
Author: Abraham Leipniker Löwy
Abraham Leipniker's Introduction:
One day, when I was in the company of some friends and acquaintances, they expressed the hope that I might write the history of our trials and triumphs. “For”, they urged from all sides, “who else is there gifted with such a vivid recollection of the events of that story? Who else is there to give expression on paper to what had actually occurred in life?”
“Having lived through three worlds, as it were: the World fully established, the same utterly destroyed, and the World renewed; and, moreover, having been the chief agent in bringing about our deliverance from the ban on our religion, you, Abraham, the son of Rabbi Mordecai, are pre-eminently able to record our vicissitudes for future generations. And seeing that old men, living witnesses of these events, have only a faint recollection of them, how can the story be expected to reach the ears of our children otherwise than as a vague legend, mutilated by time, unless it be put on record?“ So I wrote down the history in easy language to be understood by all. I call it M'gilath S'darim, meaning The Narrative Arranged , for it is written according to the order of the events, and divided into paragraphs. And if you substitute the letter “t” for “d” in S'darim, as is allowable in the Hebrew tongue, and read M'gilath S'tarim, it means The Narrative of the Destruction .
I also append, at the end of this M'gilath, some verses composed by me, recounting the events in a concise form in fifty lines. And the Úsov Community declared and affirmed their resolve to chant these verses in their two Houses of Worship once a year on the festival of Sh'mini A'zereth. For on that day we received the glad tidings, the Royal Decree, giving us permission to exercise our faith and to build the Houses of Worship.
And may we also rejoice at the coming of the Deliverer
to Zion, speedily, even in our days.
Amen
SYNAGOGUE
Exterior, Úsov after 1930
HISTORY OF JEWISH COMMUNITY IN ÚSOV
Individual families begun to settle in Úsov probably throughout the 14th century, but Jewish community was not established here before 1454. At that time the town of Úsov was the center of a large feudal estate and the first Jewish community was most likely formed by refugees from the nearby royal towns of Uničov and Olomouc. The first written record of a Jewish settlement in Úsov is mentioned in 1564 in a register titled, “Registra Sprawny Panstwy Aussowskeho”.
Members of the Jewish community were important contributors to the economical growth of the feudal estate and therefore they gradually received more recognition, rights and privileges. For instance, in 1571 the Emperor Maxmillian II gave permission to transfer the weekly markets in Úsov from Saturday to Wednesday so that Jews could have their day of rest - Sabbath. By the beginning of the 16th century, the Jewish community and the synagogue with a rabbi were already in existence.
During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) the town was burnt down and many Christian and Jewish inhabitants lost their lives. After the war the Jewish community started to grow again as refugees from Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine, fleeing from the persecution caused by the Chmelnicki uprising (1648-1656), settled in Úsov. The original wooden synagogue was destroyed during the war and was replaced in 1688 by a new synagogue built of masonry. The community was managed according to Jewish law by a self-run government headed by a bailiff.
Further development of the community was influenced by a distressing event in 1721. A provocation, caused by Samuel Jelinek from Dubicko, a Catholic chaplain who disturbed a Jewish service in the synagogue, resulted in an unjust court decision that did not punish the real culprit but the Jews. At the financial expense of the Jewish community the synagogue had to be dismantled and Jews were not allowed to gather for common prayers in large groups. However, Jewish elders fought for their rights. In 1753 permission was given by the Empress Maria Theresa to establish three prayer rooms.
At the forefront of a new era of freedom and hope for the Jews were the reforms declared by the Emperor Joseph II between 1781-1788. During that period the most discriminatory laws were removed, resulting in a different political environment, which was soon felt also in Úsov. Construction of a new synagogue was allowed by Emperor's decree in 1783, and a Jewish school was established in Úsov during the next year. Revolutionary events of 1848 caused a major reorganization of the state administration and removed official discrimination. Jews attained civil rights with a final amendment in 1867. From then on they could relocate freely, choose any profession and marry without restrictions. About 780 citizens of Jewish faith lived in Úsov around 1850, which represented a third of the town's total population. Their number gradually declined during the second half of the 19th century as families and individuals moved to bigger towns in search of better economic opportunities.
Úsov was incorporated into Sudetenland and therefore the German army occupied the town in October 1938. Unfortunately, the infamous anti Jewish pogrom, “The Crystal Night”, also reached Úsov. Local Nazis marched into the Jewish quarter on October 10, 1938 where, among other things, they caused damage and burned down the archives and furnishing of the synagogue. Only a few Jews from Úsov survived the tragedy of German occupation, one of them was a poet and prose writer named V. A. Polák. The Jewish congregation was not renewed after the war. The synagogue was restored during the 1990s and is presently used for educational and cultural purposes.
RESPECT AND TOLERANCE
Since the project started in 2002, the working team Respect and Tolerance, documents the history of former Jewish communities in Loštice, Mohelnice and Úsov. The team consists of professionals, who work for the project as volunteers. Results of documentation and research are presented to the public through exhibitions and educational programs
During 2004 the Respect and Tolerance organized programs and exhibitions titled Remembering Jewish Families of the Loštice area , which werepresented in following places:
LOŠTICE SYNAGOGUE, June 24th – July 7th
Program: The Conference Jews and Northern Moravia & the concert of Jewish songs by the children choir Větrník.
ÚSOV SYNAGOGUE, August 21st – September 15th
Program: The 90th Birth Anniversary of the Jewish Writer and Poet A.V. Polák of Úsov & the concert of Jewish music by the trio Czech Strings from Ireland.
BOSKOVICE SYNAGOGUE, September 22nd – October 17th
In conjunction with the international workshop Creative Methods of Teaching About the Holocaust. The concert of Jewish songs by the children choir Větrník.
KROMĚŘÍŽ MUSEUM, November 3rd – November 28th
In conjunction with the 11th Annual conference Jews and Moravia.
During 2005 the team Respect and Tolerance plans to present their programs and exhibitions in the Palacky University in Olomouc, the Dečín synagogue and the Educational and Cultural Center of the Jewish Museum in Prague and other places.
The working team will continue to document the history of the Jewish communities in Loštice, Mohelnice and Úsov. Newly discovered material will be added to the exhibitions.
The Foundation for Respect and Tolerance cooperates with many institutions including museums and schools. We have also a working relationship with the Palacky University in Olomouc, one of the largest and most respected institutions of higher learning in the Czech Republic. This partnership involves exhibitions, research, and use of the Respect and Tolerance library. It has now become the largest reference source regarding these subjects in Moravia. Our library centers on European and Czech Jewish History, anti- Semitism, the Holocaust and Christian-Jewish theology and relationships. Our next exhibition will be held in gallery of the Palacky University in Olomouc.
THE RESPECT AND TOLERANCE EXHIBITION
AND THE CONCERT OF JEWISH MUSIC
A VIEW FROM THE GALLERY
Photo J. Ošanec
MUSICIANS – THE TRIO CZECH STRINGS
Photo I. Zatloukal
THE NORTHERN MORAVIA
The map depicting Jewish monuments
including the synagogue in Úsov
REHEARSAL FOR CULTURAL PROGRAMS
Úsov Synagogue, 2004
Photo L. Štipl
CHATEAU ÚSOV.
Postcard, Úsov ca 1910
This 17th century baroque chateau was a residence of the feudal landlord family
named Liechtenstein. The Jewish community lived under their protection until 1848.
