Wroclaw Jewish Cemetery.
In the XI – XII centuries the first Jewish had settled in Poland, suffering persecution from the West. But mass inflow of refugees took place in the XIV century. Jewish were accused of black plague epidemic, so-called black death, but having a large founds at their disposal they wormed their way into the then Polish souverains’ favour. The souverains took care of Jewish people and lovished privileges on them. They hoped, then Jewish would bring economic prosperity to the country.
Through the preserved „maceva” dates from 1203 (a vertical tombstone with a bas-relief and inscription), which is on the Wroclaw Jewish cemetery, we can define, then the first Jewish cementries appeared at the end of XII or the beginning XIII cc.
Jewish created separate districts, called ghettos, which had their own rules. In the II World War period nazi authorities had been extreminating Jewish people. The ideologues of national socialism: Adolf Hitler, Alfred Rosenberg and Joseph Goebbels intended physical annihilation of Jewish nation.
In Poland the compulsory ghettos, concentration and extremination camps were created and guarded by III Reich soldiers. During the II World War millions of Jewish were killed, among them were about 2 mln children. As a result of such dramatic events in 1944 – 1948 a mass Jewish immigration to Israel took place. Today, according to estimation about 12 – 15 thousand Jewish live in Poland. The biggest denominational municipalities are in Warsaw and Cracow.
After the war only some synagogues, Jewish baths and cemeteries have survived. One of the survivers is Wroclaw Old Jewish Cemetery on Slezna street. Now the cemetery belongs to the Wroclaw Museum. It was established in 1856, November 17th, at that day a merchant Lobel Stern funeral took place. During the next years, a lot of famous outstanding people of culture, politics, art and science had been buring here. Old Jewish Cemetery is one of the unique European historical monuments.
The cemetery was erected in the area of former village Gabitz, near Lohestrasse, now it’s the Slezna street. Jewish municipality purchased plots of land and created a new burial place in the 3ha area. The territory was surrounded with a wall. At that time two buildings were erected: burial house and cemetery inspector’s apartment. In 1912, the buildings were replaced with a new two floor house, designed by Paul and Richard Ehrlichs, it was called “the house of cemetery management”. There were an office, a flower shop, inspector and gravedigger apartments.
In the necropolis area you’ll be able to see the oldest remains (in form of monuments) of Jewish people settlement in Poland. The oldest one dates 1203, September 4th
The last funeral took place here in 1942. In 1943 the territory was leased out to market garden, but two years later the cemetery had become a fight area during town determined battles.
After the war there was a devastation period of historical monuments of the cemetery. Only in 1975 it was registered as a relic of the past. Renovation works started in 1988. Since that time people has been visiting the place.
Today, surrounding with green area, the cemetery presents us diversity of tomb art’s forms, among them there are mauretanian style, rich decor tombstones. The cementry is really worth seeing. The place has a special atmosphere, where the time has stopped.
The cemetery open: Mon – Sun 10 – 18. Tickets: normal – 5PLN, reduced fare - 3PLN. Phone: +48 71 7915903.
