A series of anti-Semitic lectures delivered in the city of Grodno had, as their result, the poisoning of a Jewish woman.
Jacek Chamietz, well-known anti-Semitic agitator, arrived in Grodno and announced a series of lectures to be given by him on anti-Semitic topics. At first the city authorities prohibited the lectures because of their obvious inciting character. The agitator then changed the title of the lectures, substituting for the word Jew “crooked nosed.” The authorities then permitted the lectures to be given, during the course of which Chamietz endeavored to convince his audience, consisting mainly of uneducated elements, including a considerable number of servant girls, that it was necessary for the good and welfare of the country to exterminate the “crooked nosed.”
The Polish servant girl of Madam Wigdowitz, the wife of a Hebrew teacher, was present at the lecture. The following morning Madam Wigdowitz, after drinking a glass of milk, fell unconscious. The attending physician established that she was poisoned.
According to the local Jewish paper, “Grodner Moment,” charges brought against the servant girl stated that she had put poison into the milk under the influence of the lecture. Investigation is pending.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
