The Jewish Cemetery, Warsaw, Poland

jewish cemetery warsawThe Jewish Cemetery in Warsaw is a bit of a surprise. In the middle of the city that once had 300,000 Jews who had been there for centuries, it's now almost taken on the character of a ruin. It was established in the early 19th Century and has over 200,000 headstones. But after the Holocaust and near elimination of all of Poland's Jews, it was virtually abandoned, and a forest grew up within the large site. Since the end of World War II, it has reopened and still serves the remaining small community of Warsaw Jews. The parts in use are well maintained and contain graves that have been placed in the very recent past. Other parts are completely overgrown by the forest.

wall jewish cemetery warsawIn a few areas in the front of the cemetery are stones in the surrounding walls which commemorate Warsaw Jews who have no graves–those who were shipped from the ghetto to Treblinka and other nearby death camps.

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2 thoughts on “The Jewish Cemetery, Warsaw, Poland”

    • It is indeed interesting. The contrast between the overgrown cemetery, the part before World War II, and the newer part which memorializes those killed during the Warsaw uprising and at the camps is striking.

      Reply

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