Until the end of the 18th century, Lutsk was part of Poland. At that time, the city became part of Russia. Between the two world wars, it was part of Poland. In September, 1939, the city was occupied by the Soviet army and was annexed to the USSR. It is estimated that there were about 18,000 Jews (about 44% of the total population) in the city at the start of the war. On June 25, 1941, the Nazis occupied the city and, within a week, murdered about 2,000 Jewish men. Shortly thereafter, a Judenrat was formed. Between August 20 and September 3, 1942, almost the remaining Jews (about 20,000) were murdered by German special security forces (SD).
Below is a postcard depicting the Lutsk Synagogue. This synagogue is an interesting example of a four-pillar masonry synagogue. These synagogues, built between the late 16th century and early 19th century, were impressive due to their mass and size. Most had rectangular plans, and some, like Lutsk, had a tower which could be useful in a military crisis.
Encyclopedia Judaica, CD-Rom Edition, Keter Publishing
Museum of Tolerance On Line Learning Center
Carole Herselle Krinsky, Synagogues of Europe, P.205-11
Copyright © 2003 Edward Victor