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Jews in Prekmurje during World War II

Jews began to settle in the Prekmurje region in the first half of the 18th century. Initially, they made a living in trade and hawkering, but later, especially during the dual monarchy, when their number reached almost 1,000 people, there was almost no profession where they would not be represented. After the collapse of the monarchy, the number of Jews in Prekmurje gradually decreased. In 1941, when the Hungarian authorities conducted a census, only 438 denominational and non-denominational Jews were registered. Despite the numerous anti-Jewish regulations that discriminated against Jews, the lives of most of the Jews living in Prekmurje were not in danger until 26 April 1944, when the arrests began. The next day, some 280 Jews were rounded up from Dolnja Lendava and in Murska Sobota synagogues and transported to Auschwitz in different transports and at different intervals via Čakovec and Nagykanizsa. Less than 30 Jews survived the horrors of the war.

The number of Jews in Prekmurje in 1941, by settlements.
The number of Jews in Prekmurje in 1941, by settlements.


The Jewish cemetery in Lendava where the local Jews and the Jews from surrounding villages are buried. Author: Attila Kovács.
The Jewish cemetery in Lendava where the local Jews and the Jews from surrounding villages are buried. Author: Attila Kovács.


The interior of the Murska Sobota synagogue, or more precisely, the Israelite temple, built in 1908 but demolished in 1954 by local communist authorities. The photograph is kept by Bojan Zadravec.
The interior of the Murska Sobota synagogue, or more precisely, the Israelite temple, built in 1908 but demolished in 1954 by local communist authorities. The photograph is kept by Bojan Zadravec.


The Blau family from Lendava. Ludvik Blau (standing second from the right) survived the war. The photograph is kept by Renata Lešnjak.
The Blau family from Lendava. Ludvik Blau (standing second from the right) survived the war. The photograph is kept by Renata Lešnjak.


Camp survivors in June 1945 in Murska Sobota. Among them, there are 16 Prekmurje Jews. The photograph is kept by Bojan Zadravec.
Camp survivors in June 1945 in Murska Sobota. Among them, there are 16 Prekmurje Jews. The photograph is kept by Bojan Zadravec.