Rabbi Shmuel Shmelka Kornitzer Hy"d, Rav of Krakow, son of Rabbi Yosef Nechemia Kornitzer zt"l
Rabbi Shmelka Kornitzer Hy"d
רבי שמלקה קארניצער הי״ד
The matzeivah gives the year 5701 (1941) and does not give a day. A German death notice is dated 25 February 1941, which Hebcal converts as 28 Shevat 5701. Some Hebrew accounts say Adar 5701. The exact yahrzeit is not settled; he is not listed on the calendar until it is confirmed. [CONFIRM YAHRZEIT]
Send a kvittel to this keverBiography
Rabbi Shmuel Shmelka Kornitzer Hy"d was rav and av beis din of Krakow, and the last rav of the city before the churban. He was born on 29 July 1905 in Selish, a son of Rabbi Yosef Nechemia Kornitzer zt"l. After his father’s histalkus in 1933 he became a dayan in Krakow, still a young man, and a short time later he stood at the head of the beis din and filled his father’s place.
In the year 5701 (1941), as the matzeivah records, he was taken by the Germans, yimach shemam, to Auschwitz, and there he was niftar. Hashem yinkom damo. A German death notice given to the family is dated 25 February 1941. We do not write more than the sources require. The exact day of the yahrzeit is not settled: the stone gives the year 5701, the death notice is dated 25 February 1941 (28 Shevat), and some Hebrew accounts say Adar 5701. [CONFIRM YAHRZEIT]
The inscription on the matzeivah begins “ha’efer shel” — the ashes of Rabbi Shmuel Shmelka Kornitzer, son of Rabbi Yosef Nechemia Kornitzer, av beis din of Krakow — and says that the ashes were brought here. A contemporary account also records that his ashes were brought to Krakow and buried beside his father. The two kevorim stand side by side in the nayer Beis Hachaim on ul. Miodowa. Your kvittel will be placed on this kever, with the kovod that is due to a kadosh who gave his life al kiddush Hashem.
Historical background
The Sofer–Kornitzer rabbonus in Krakow, which had begun with Rabbi Shimon Sofer zy"a, came to a close in the years of the churban with Rabbi Shmelka Hy"d, a young rav who had stood in his father’s place for only a few years. The kehillah that had been one of the great kehillos of Europe was destroyed. His ashes were brought back to the nayer Beis Hachaim and buried beside his father, and that kever is the place where one can come today to daven at his tziyun.
Before & after
Who came before
- Rabbi Yosef Nechemia Kornitzer zt"l — His father; earlier rav of Krakow; they rest side by side
- Rabbi Akiva Kornitzer zt"l — His grandfather; earlier rav of Krakow
- Rabbi Shimon Sofer zy"a, the Michtav Sofer — His great-grandfather; earlier rav of Krakow
Who came after
- —
In his dor
- —
Sources
The facts on this page come from the earlier site and from the sources listed here. Where the sources are not one shittah, it is written in the text.
Send a kvittel
Send a kvittel to Rabbi Shmelka Kornitzer Hy"d
Write the names and your bakashah. The kvittel will be brought to this kever. A pidyon of eighteen dollars or more goes with it; you choose the amount, and you will be taken to a secure payment page. The shliach receives the kvittel only once the pidyon is received.