Alternate names: Wąbrzeźno [Pol], Briesen [Ger]. 53°17' N, 18°57' E, 35 miles NNE of Bydgoszcz (Bromberg), 16 miles SE of Grudziądz (Graudenz). Jewish population: 589 (in 1885), 92 (in 1932). This town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, 35 km NE of Toruń. It is the capital of the Wąbrzeźno powiat had a 2004 population is 13,971. Gmina Wąbrzeźno contains the villages and settlements of Bugeria I, Bugeria II, Cymbark, Czystochleb, Frydrychowo, Jarantowice, Jarantowiczki, Jaworze, Katarzynki, Łabędź, Ludowice, Małe Radowiska, Michałki, Młynik, Myśliwiec, Nielub, Orzechówko, Orzechowo, Plebanka, Pływaczewo, Prochy, Przydwórz, Rozgard, Ryńsk, Sicinek, Sitno, Sosnówka, Stanisławki, Trzcianek, Trzciano, Wałycz, Wałyczyk, Węgorzyn, Wronie, Zaradowiska and Zieleń. [July 2009]
CEMETERY: Destroyed in 1939, as late as the 1950s fragments of gravestones could be seen in the area on ul. Macieja Rataj. photos. [July 2009]
BOOK: Author: Briesen Jewish Community Council. Title: Records, 1871-1926. Description: 3.5 linear ft. Notes: Records of Jewish community in Briesen (Polish: Wąbrzeźno). YIVO collections are in Yiddish, Russian, Polish, English, Hebrew, and other European and non-European languages. Inventory. Part of YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, Vilna, Poland Archives. Location: YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, New York, NY. Control No.: NXYH89-A14 [December 2000]
US Commission No. AS 196
Wabrzezno is located in the Toninskie region. The cemetery is E of town center, formerly adjoining to the present Macieja Rataja St. The town location is 18º57' 53º17', 40 km from Torunia. Present population is 5,000-25,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.
- Town: Bogdan Koszuta, burzmeister I przewodnicracy zamadu, 32 Mikolaja z Rynska St. (Zbigniew Ceglarski-przewodniciacy Rady Miejskiej)
- Regional: mgr. Mir?ostawa Romanizyn Konserwator region 87-100 Torun, 8 Lazienna St., tel. 26692.
- Interested: Kazmie? Gorny ul. Mikolaja z Rynska 6 (tel. 24-86.) Bronislaaw Wasilewski ul La??? Wigury 5 tel. 316.
The earliest known Jewish community was beginning of 19th century. 1931 Jewish population was 63. On April 17, 1858, the community was given the statute, serving 76 adjacent localities. Simon Ascher, whose house served for prayers in 1848, and Rabbi Epstein c. 1900 lived here. The Jewish cemetery was established in the 1820's on the land of Barbara Hebel. The last known burial was 1939. The isolated urban flat land has no sign or marker, no wall, fence, or gate. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. The cemetery size was 0.4316 hectare before 1939. There are no visible gravestones or known mass graves. The municipality and private individuals own site. Adjacent properties are commercial/ industrial and residential. The cemetery was vandalized during WWII with no maintenance, no care.
Maizena Stocks, Torun, 37E/185 Lyskonskiego completed survey on October 26, 1991 after a visit on October 24, 1991. Documentation: illegible. Lech Rutkowski and Mana Polkowske, address illegible, were interviewed for this survey.