Abraham Prochownik ("The Powdermaker")

A legendary personage said to have been nominated prince of Poland, in 842, under the following circumstances: After the death of Prince Popiel, the Poles held a council at Krushwitz, to elect a successor. They disagreed for a long time, and finally decided that the person who first entered the city on the following morning should be their ruler. This was none other than the Jew Abraham the Powder-maker (prochownik), who was escorted to the council-hall and proclaimed prince of Poland. Abraham declined the honor and insisted upon their electing the wise Pole Piast, who became the founder of the Piast dynasty (compare the similar legend concerning Saul Wahl). A choice of king by lot or chance encounter is found in many folk-tales.

Bibliography:

  * A. Kraushar, Historya Zydów w Polsce, i. 42;
  * Sternberg, Gesch. der Juden in Polen, p. 4.



H. R.