People

„Smolarnia" at Prowiantowa Street

"Smolarnia" was the name used by the residents of Marczuk for mechanical grease products shop at 19 Prowiantowa Street in Białystok. It was led by Haim Taszman, a Jewish man who had three daughters: Poła, Bela and Mira. Poła was a classmate of Kazimiera Pietrzykowska. She often visited her home. "Taszman family lived in a wooden house, one of many of that kind in that district," recalls Mrs Pietrzykowska. "The business partner, Glat, also lived there. A little further away, near the railway tracks, there was a big wooden shed, full of metal barrels with tar and grease. In its metal window there was always a telephone. Allegedly, Mr Taszman had his own railway siding. I also remember that they had a maid, Wiśniewska. She lived at thesame street. 

What happened to the Taszman family, when, in 1941, the Germans came? They probably ended up in the ghetto, and then were taken away to the camp in Treblinka.

Taszman's name appeared in the address book for companies in Białystok for the years 1932-33, on page 46. He sold mechanical grease products.

Marek Jankowski

Text was already published in 2000 (updated in 2018).

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