Kielce pogrom
| Kielce pogrom | |
|---|---|
| Part of anti-Jewish violence in Poland, 1944–1946 | |
Plaque on ulica Planty 7, Kielce, dedicated by Lech Wałęsa, 1990 | |
| Location | Kielce, Poland |
| Date | 4 July 1946 Morning until evening (official cessation at 3 p.m.) |
| Target | Polish Jews |
| Deaths | 38 to 42 Jews |
| Motive | Blood libel |
| Convicted | 39 convicted (9 executed) |
The Kielce pogrom was an outbreak of violence toward the Jewish community centre's gathering of refugees in the city of Kielce, Poland, on 4 July 1946 by Polish soldiers, police officers, and civilians during which 42 Jews were killed and more than 40 were wounded. Polish courts later sentenced nine of the attackers to death in connection with the crimes.
As the deadliest pogrom against Polish Jews after the Second World War, the incident was a significant point in the post-war history of Jews in Poland. It took place only a year after the end of the Second World War and the Holocaust, shocking Jews in Poland, non-Jewish Poles, and the international community. It has been recognized as a symptom of the precarious condition of Eastern European Jewish communities in the aftermath of the Holocaust and as a catalyst for the flight from Poland of most remaining Polish Jews who had survived the war.