It is not known when the first Jews came to Komarów. The first references to the Jewish Community in Komarów date back to the first half of the 18th century. The Jews in Komarów already had a synagogue, prayer house and cemetery at that time. 247 Jews lived in Komarów in 1766. There was a Jewish school at the end of the 18th century[1.1].
Supporters of a tzadik from Kock established their shtibl in Komarów in the middle of the 19th century. The Russian authorities issued restrictions on the number of Jews who could settle in the town , which were in force between 1823 and 1861. In 1856 Komarów had 1,625 inhabitants, 943 (58%) of whom were Jews. There were 2,618 people living in the town in 1897 and Jews constituted 59% (1,568) of the total population.
Amongst those serving the Jewish community as rabbis in Komarów were: Jechiel Mosze (author of Likutim Chadaszim and Niflaot Chadaszot), Jehuda Aron Klugier, Icchak Dawid Szulewicz, Dawid Engelsberg and Jechiel Engelsberg[1.2].
Thirty percent of the Jewish buildings were burnt down in a fire in Komarów in 1900. Jehoszua Alterman was a rabbi in the inter-war period.
Stanisław Bułak-Bałachowicz Army led to a pogrom in Komarów during the Polish–Soviet War on the 28th of August 1920. Sixteen Jews were killed, 67 were wounded and 47 women were raped. The army destroyed and pillaged Jewish properties[1.3]. 1,752 Jews lived in Komarów in 1921 and they constituted 60% of the total population which was 2,895.
Komarów was occupied by the German forces on 13th of September 1939 after the outbreak of World War II. The Russian forces marched into the town on the 28th of September 1939 but they withdrew from Komarów after 12 days, giving way to the Germans. Part of the Jewish community left Komarów during the retreat of the Russian army.
The Nazis began to victimize the Jewish community shortly after they arrived. The labor camp in Zamość was one of many places where Jews from Komarów were sent. After the Nazis ordered all Jews to wear a band with the Star of David, around 30 Jews were caught by Nazi soldiers. They were taken to the local cemetery and executed[1.4]. Jews from Komarów were often tormented by the Nazi military police from the nearby Tyszowce. An officer called Szulc showed extreme brutality. He killed any Jew he would see on his way through the town.
A ghetto was created in Komarów in summer 1941 although there was no wall surrounding it. In command of the ghetto was an officer called Szulc. Soon after, approximately 200 Jews from Łódź, Włocławek, Koło and Sierpiec were transported to the ghetto. Another group of 400 Jews from Zamość and 700 from Czechoslovakia were brought to the ghetto in spring 1941.
The Nazis started to liquidate the ghetto in Komarów on the 23rd of May 1942. Jews from the ghetto were transported to the concentration camp in Bełżec. The Nazis killed approximately 2,500 Jews from Komarów and various Polish and Czechoslovakian towns between 15th October and 31st of .October 1942. Bodies of the dead Jews were buried in a field in several mass graves[1.5]. The ghetto was finally liquidated in November 1942. This event marked the end of the Jewish community in Komarów [1.6].
