THE MEMORIAL BOOK OF PÁPA JEWRY - JewishGen

A LAST WALK IN PÁPA
We have already left Vaszar. It is time to get ready to get off quickly because the Győr-
Graz express stops at Pápa for only a minute. We have arrived! So this is our home town about
which we have so many cherished memories.
PÁPA.
Come brother, let's wander the streets and read the names on the signboards. Come and
see the creation of Jewish hands here, let us recall their memory.
Have a look: opposite the railway station you can see the textile factory of the Perutz
brothers; it provided livelihood for several hundreds of workers. The founders of the factory
came from Bohemia and became taxpayers of the Pápa Jewish community.
The First Mechanical Weaving Mill, founded by Ármin Leipnik is not far from there. It
had 250 workers and produced high quality goods well-known all over the country.
The chemical works of Dr. Pál Breuer, a young engineer and the son of the highly
respected community president Lázár Breuer, is also in the same neighbourhood. It provided
chemical products for the whole of Transdanubia.
Let's walk into town. On one side of Eszterházy Road we go along the garden wall of the
Count's castle, lined with ancient trees.
On the other side, there are cottages with beautiful gardens, including the villa of alcohol
distributor and wholesaler Steiner from Gyömöre, which houses a temple and a beit hamidrash as
well. Next to it you can find the tombstone yard and millstone factory of the company Albert
Krausz and Son. This is one of the largest workshops in Transdanubia for engraving tombstones.
The signature Krausz, Pápa, can be read on a great number of monuments dedicated to war
heroes throughout the country, in addition to tombstones in Jewish and Christian cemeteries. The
large business is managed by the owner József H. Krausz and his two sons. Despite the size of his
enterprise, the owner found time for public affairs as well: he was the president of the school
board for a long time, then worked in the Shiur Association as one of its leaders, and participated
in the shiur in the evening as an outstanding scholar.
As we cross the bridge of Bakonyér, we pass the statue of Flórián: Retailer and
Wholesaler Samu Grünbaum can be read on the sign of the grocery store. The shop has been kept
closed on Shabbat since the doctor Sándor Buxbaum became his son-in-law. You see, brother,
this is characteristic of Pápa: the father-in-law observes Shabbat at the request of his son-in-law,
who is a doctor.
Just a few steps and we get to the salt-depository of Bodanszky. This business sells
nothing but salt. Then we pass the leather shop of János Preisach. Don't be surprised at the name
János; the man is a saintly Talmud scholar. Varga [cobbler] Street is nearby, and most of the
customers are in the area: shoemakers and cobblers live in this neighbourhood. Leather trade and
tanning were Jewish professions. Pelt dealers and tanners were Jewish. The only Jewish Tanners'
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