▁Lab em ▁in ▁the ▁Czech ▁Republic ▁dates ▁back ▁to ▁ 1 8 4 8 , ▁following ▁the ▁em an cip ation ▁of ▁ ▁Aust rian ▁Jews . ▁The ▁greatest ▁expansion ▁achieved ▁ow ing ▁to ▁presence ▁of ▁two ▁significant ▁families ▁( We in man ▁and ▁Pet sch ek ), ▁who ▁contributed ▁to ▁city ▁development , ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 9 th ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁Two ▁following ▁dict ator ships ▁had ▁dev ast ating ▁effect ▁on ▁the ▁community . ▁Most ▁Jews ▁fled ▁prior ▁to ▁or ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁after ▁the ▁Mun ich ▁Ag re ement , ▁the ▁few ▁Jews ▁that ▁remained ▁in ▁Ú st í ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁ex termin ation ▁cam ps . ▁▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁and ▁pre - war ▁history ▁ ▁After ▁Aust rian ▁em an cip ation , ▁Jews ▁were ▁free ▁to ▁live ▁in ▁Ú st í ▁without ▁facing ▁residence ▁restrictions . ▁Four ▁families ▁from ▁nearby ▁T ep lice ▁were ▁the ▁first ▁Jews ▁to ▁sett le ▁in ▁the ▁city , ▁and ▁a ▁prayer ▁house ▁was ▁opened ▁not ▁long ▁after . ▁▁ ▁The ▁community ▁did ▁not ▁become ▁officially ▁organized ▁until ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁recognized ▁by ▁the ▁authorities ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 9 . ▁The ▁Jewish ▁c emetery ▁was ▁consec r ated ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁and ▁then ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁when ▁the ▁Jewish ▁community ▁was ▁given ▁a