Rabbi Eliahu Laskowski – Z”L (His memory is a blessing)
Among the rabbis of Glowno, Rabbi Eliahu Laskowski was a distinguished figure. A disciple of the Admor (Chasidic Rabbi) of Sochaczew; who was previously the rabbi of Tuliszkow. From 1908-1920 he served as the rabbi of Glowno and then he moved to Warta. Rabbi E. Laskowski excelled as a gifted Magid (story teller) and erected some Yeshivot (Talmudical colleges).
On Lag Ba’omer 1942, the Germans conducted a public hanging of 10 or 12 Jews. Among the condemned were the chairman of the Judenrat, London; Rabbi Eliahu Laskowski and his son; Szmuel Jerozolimski (leader of the General Zionists); Motel Rotsztein (chairman of Agudat Israel). Also condemned were Feiwusz Meirowicz (former farm owner near Warta), Ezra Rozenwald, Moshe Shimon Klinowski, Landsberg and presumably 2 or 3 more Jews. Some of the deceased Jews were members of the Judenrat. According to one version, Rabbi Laskowski and his son were hanged because he appealed to the head of the county and asked forgiveness upon hearing that ten Jews were condemned to be hanged.
The Jews were forced to build the scaffold on the plot where the synagogue stood. On the day of the execution, the Germans ordered the Jewish policemen to bring the entire Jewish population to the premises and to forbid them by threat of death, any cries of desperation or despair. The Poles also came in large numbers to witness the horrible site. The Jewish policemen were ordered to bring the condemned and perform the sentence. The brother of one of the policemen was among the condemned and it was only by chance that he didn’t have to hang his own brother. Before the execution, the Germans announced to the public (those present) that a death sentence was given in retribution for the illegal sending of bread to the labor camps and among the condemned was Ezra Rozenwald who organized the sending of the bread.
Witnesses mentioned the heroic behavior of Rabbi Laskowski who, before the hanging, encouraged all of the condemned, and urged them to accept the sentence with pride as befitting the sons of the eternal people. He spoke about the salvation of Israel. He said confession at the top of his voice and told the Jews to revenge the vengeance of the killings in the kingdom. Then he asked to be buried in his clothing as the law requires. The rest of the condemned withstood bravely this last ordeal. After the hanging the Jews were dispersed. They were allowed to take the bodies down, only the day after, and were forbidden to bury them according to Jewish law.
After Rabbi Eliahu Laskowski’s death, Rabbi Icchak Pacanowski and Rabbi Elimelech Szapira served as the rabbis of Glowno, and they perished in the Holocaust.
Zachor (Remember) Rabbi Eliahu Laskowski, the head of the rabbinical court of Dobrut, and all those that perished during the Holocaust. May this never happen again!