The author discusses the history of the Jews of Chmielnik, a town situated 30 kilometres away from Kielce: from a short introduction covering the inter-war period, through the German invasion, ghetto formation, everyday life n the ghetto, deportations and the fate of the survivors. The author extensively describes social organisations and their activity in Chmielnik (Judenrat, Ha Szomer ha-Cair), as well as the contacts between the Jews and the Poles.