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The Zalman Kaplan Collection
of Pre-War Photos of Szczuczyn, Part 1

These photographs are part of the Zalman Kaplan Collection and are Copyright ©1995 by Marvins/Kaplan Archives, Houston, Texas U.S.A.
Zalman Kaplan was the town photographer of Szczuczyn, 1895-1941, and the grandfather of Mike Marvins. Reprinted here with permission.
Read about the exhibit and book Please contact me if you have any photos to submit.


New Year's Card, ca 1916
Zalman and Etla Kaplan
Note: Inscription is also in German
since Szczuczyn was occupied
by German troops in WWI.

ca 1897
Zalman Kaplan holds daughter Fania.
Etla Kaplan stands in center.
Kaplan's sisters, Bessie, Haike, and Becky pause in Szczuczyn on the way to Chicago and later, Los Angeles.

[L-R]: Fania (nee Kaplan) Raczkowski, husband Zyskind Raczkowski (born in Radzilow), son Szlomo, and Fania's sister Regina (nee Kaplan) Cyrlak

Kaplan Studio Garden

Kaplan Studio Sign

Polish National Day.
Raising flag in front of Kaplan Studio. Izak and Regina (nee Kaplan) Cyrlak. To left: Mr. Lubecki, town musician in front of Szejnberg house. Kilinskiego Street.

Kaplan Studio During Winter
Note: Display cases in front yard
containing sample photos

Zalman Kaplan (center)
with his family visiting from Zambrow.
Seated: Photographer Meyer Gordon (Kaplan's uncle and mentor), Esther Gordon [Standing]: Daughters Nuta and Lola.

Group of Friends, mid 1920's
[Far left with mandolin]: Philip Kaplan. [Top row, far right]: Bergsztejn (killed in Holocaust).

Friends from Szczuczyn
visit friends in Stawiski, 1928
[Bottom row, far right]: Marvin Kaplan (Mike's father) [Top row, center]: Sonia Wilenski (Wilner) (Mike's mother). Sonia's father was chief Cantor in Stawiski.

[L-R]: Zyskind Raczkowski and
Fania (nee Kaplan) Raczkowski,
Regina (nee Kaplan) and Izak Cyrlak
sporting the latest fashions, mid 1930's. Photo taken in the Kaplan garden.

Szczuczyn Drama Circle, early 1920's
Performances benefited different charities. [Bottom row, far right]: Yitzhak Moshe Wapinski. [Top row, 2nd from left]: Fania Kaplan.

Mid 1930's
Friends on a visit with Izak Cyrlak
Mid 1930's
Regina (nee Kaplan) Cyrlak
standing next to town sign.
Note: Synagogue is building over her head (peaked roof). North end of town.

Mid 1930's
Izak Cyrlak and wife Regina (nee Kaplan) At Wissa River bridge, west of town square. Area for swimming and picnics, and also for gathering peat.

Fania (nee Kaplan) Raczkowski
at the family's ebony baby grand piano. She lived in Bialystok and toured as a singer and actress. Perished with son, Shlomo, in the Holocaust.

Kaplan Family
[L-R]: Fania (nee Kaplan) Raczkowski, Zyskind Raczkowski, Etla Kaplan, Moshe Kaplan, Zalman Kaplan, Regina Kaplan, Arthur Indurski

Ziskind Raczkowski and
wife Fania (nee Kaplan) Raczkowski

Shlomo Raczkowski, Zalman's grandson

Shlomo Raczkowski, Zalman's grandson, attended a Jewish school in Bialystok which required this handsome school uniform

Photos Copyright ©1995 reprinted with the permission of Mike Marvins.

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