In October 1941 the Jews of Raków were ordered to appear at the market square. The police searched their houses to catch anyone who failed to appear, while the sick Jews were shot to death in their homes. Those gathered on the market square were forced to dance and sing while being beaten and robbed of their money. Thirty one young men who were separated from the rest of the Jews were taken to the Jewish cemetery and forced to dig a pit. When this was done, 112 Jewish men were taken to the cemetery and shot to death. Their bodies were thrown into the pit. Apparently at least one of them escaped.

More information: Yad Vashem

At the end of June 1941, immediately after the occupation of Raków by the Germans, a number of SS men entered the town. Local collaborators gave them the names of people suspected of Communist activity. On this basis 49 young Jews were taken to the village of Pomorszczyzna, 3 kilometers away. There they were shot and buried in a large pit. When they heard about this murder, members of the local hevra kadisha (burial society) surreptitiously removed the bodies from the pit and reburied them in the Jewish cemetery of Raków.

More information: Yad Vashem

On February 2, 1942 SS-men and local policemen surrounded Raków’s ghetto, which still contained approximately 1,000 Jews. These Jews were taken in groups to the entrance to the town’s synagogue, where they were shot with sub-machine guns.... 10 strong Jewish men were selected to throw the bodies into the synagogue. Afterwards they were forced inside and the building was set on fire with the people inside. It is estimated that on that day approximately 950 Jews - children, women, and men - were killed next to and inside the synagogue.

More information: Yad Vashem