Makabi Warsaw
Largest multi-section Jewish sports club in prewar Poland.
Makabi Warszawa, also known as Makabi Warsaw, was a Polish sports club founded in 1915 in Warsaw, Poland, by the Jewish Gymnastic and Sports Association 'Maccabi'. It was the largest multi-section Jewish sports club in the Second Polish Republic, providing sports activities to Jewish schools and organizing excursions, sports camps, and tournaments for Jewish holidays and the Maccabiah Games. The club suspended activities in 1939 after the Nazi occupation of Poland banned all Jewish unions, associations, and sports clubs, and was reactivated in 2014.
- founded
- 1915
- location
- Warsaw, Poland
- field
- Multi-sport club (18 sports)
- nationality
- Polish
- known_for
- Largest multi-section Jewish sports club in the Second Polish Republic; reactivated in 2014
Quick Facts
- Clubname
- Makabi Warszawa
- Fullname
- Żydowskie Towarzystwo Gimnastyczno-Sportowe „Makabi” w Warszawie
- Dissolved
- 1939; reactivated 2014
- Ground
- Warsaw, Poland
- Owner
- Voluntary association
- Chairman
- Zelik Weizmann (1915–1919), Jadwiga Rawet and Stenia Eizenberg (1920–1921), Zelman Bychowski (1922–1923), Borys Ferber (1923–1939)
- Website
- https: · www.facebook.com/MakabiWarszawa
- Kit Alt1
- Home colours
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Makabi Warszawa was established in 1915 with the goal to 'rationally educate Jewish youth'. Its name derives from Judah Maccabee, a leader of the Maccabean Revolt. The club initially headquartered at ul. Długa 50 from 1915 to 1922, then moved to the Simons Passage, which housed a gym and boxing halls. It owned a playground with an athletics track on Aleja Zieleniecka in Praga-Południe district and a marina and bathing area on the Vistula River. Members participated in 18 sports and competed in Polish sports matches. The football team played at its best in the second division of the Polish national football league. In the 1930s, Makabi Warszawa played Hakoach Będzin during the inauguration of Hakoach's sports field, with representatives from sports organizations across Poland attending. By 1932, the club had about 2,000 members. It was shut down in 1939 upon the Nazi occupation of Poland, as German authorities banned all Jewish unions, associations, and sports clubs. The club was reactivated in 2014 and now has five sections. In 2017, Makabi Warszawa players participated in the Maccabiah Games in Israel, earning two gold medals and one bronze medal.
Reader's Guide
Makabi Warszawa holds significance as the largest multi-section Jewish sports club in the Second Polish Republic, reflecting the vibrant Jewish sporting culture in prewar Poland. Founded in 1915, it provided a structured environment for Jewish youth through sports, education, and cultural events tied to Jewish holidays and the Maccabiah Games. Its football team notably featured Józef Klotz, who scored the first goal for the Poland national team, linking the club to broader Polish sports history. The club's suspension in 1939 under Nazi occupation underscores the systematic destruction of Jewish communal life during the Holocaust. Its reactivation in 2014 and participation in the 2017 Maccabiah Games, where members won two gold medals and one bronze medal, demonstrates a revival of Jewish sports heritage in Poland. The club's legacy lies in its role as a hub for Jewish athleticism and community before World War II, and its modern resurgence as a symbol of continuity.
Did You Know?
- Makabi Warszawa was founded in 1915 by the Jewish Gymnastic and Sports Association 'Maccabi'.
- The club was shut down in 1939 after the Nazi occupation banned all Jewish unions, associations, and sports clubs.
- Reactivated in 2014, Makabi Warszawa players won two gold medals and one bronze medal at the 2017 Maccabiah Games.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Makabi Warsaw?
Makabi Warsaw (Makabi Warszawa) is a Polish multi-sport club established in 1915 in Warsaw by the Jewish Gymnastic and Sports Association 'Maccabi.' It operated across 18 different sports sections and served as the biggest Jewish sports organization in the Second Polish Republic.
What role did Makabi Warsaw play in Polish Jewish sports life?
The club supplied structured sports programs to Jewish schools and ran excursions, summer camps, and holiday tournaments that fed into the broader Maccabiah Games circuit. In effect, it was the central hub through which Jewish youth in interwar Poland accessed organized athletics.
What happened to Makabi Warsaw in 1939?
When Nazi forces occupied Poland, the regime outlawed every Jewish union, association, and sports body, forcing Makabi Warsaw to suspend all activities. The club's operations came to a complete halt under that blanket ban.
Is Makabi Warsaw still active today?
Yes — the club was reactivated in 2014, ending a 75-year gap since its wartime shutdown. The revival kept the original Maccabi identity intact while restarting community sports programming in Warsaw.
Why is Makabi Warsaw historically significant?
As the largest multi-section Jewish sports club in prewar Poland, it represented the scale and ambition of Jewish communal life in the Second Polish Republic. Its forced dissolution in 1939 and later 2014 revival make it a tangible marker of both the loss and the continuity of that community.
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