The Jewish Cemetery
Renovated by volunteer effort, the Jewish cemetery is the most spectacular reminder of the once numerous Jewish community in Krosno and one of those places where time slows down.
Renovated by volunteer effort, the Jewish cemetery is the most spectacular reminder of the once numerous Jewish community in Krosno and one of those places where time slows down. It is situated in the district of Krosno called Zawodzie, in Księdza Władysława Sarny street. The cemetery was set up only in the 19th century, soon after the first Jewish community was established in Krosno. Even though the first Jews arrived in Krosno already in the 15th century, they were not allowed to settle within the town walls until 1772. In 1890, there were already a few dozen Jewish families living in Krosno, in 1921 the Jewish community numbered over 1700 and in 1939 – 2700.
In 1942 most of the Jewish citizens of Krosno were taken to the Nazi German extermination camp in Bełżec or murdered in the town. Several dozen victims are buried at the cemetery in a mass grave.
The Germans vandalized the cemetery, using most of the tombstones as building material, and only about 200 matzevahs have survived to our times. Many of them are small masterpieces, with symbols in low relief carving typical for the Jewish tradition and inscriptions in Hebrew. Interestingly, there are also some inscriptions in Polish, which is an extremely rare phenomenon.
The fact that the matzevahs in Krosno can still be admired is largely the work of the “Olszówka” association. Under the management of Grzegorz Bożek and with the help of young people of Krosno, the abandoned, overgrown and littered cemetery became beautiful again and regained the respect it deserves.
A walk around the cemetery and Grzegorz Bożek’s tale about the cemetery and its restoration
In 1942 most of the Jewish citizens of Krosno were taken to the Nazi German extermination camp in Bełżec or murdered in the town. Several dozen victims are buried at the cemetery in a mass grave.
The Germans vandalized the cemetery, using most of the tombstones as building material, and only about 200 matzevahs have survived to our times. Many of them are small masterpieces, with symbols in low relief carving typical for the Jewish tradition and inscriptions in Hebrew. Interestingly, there are also some inscriptions in Polish, which is an extremely rare phenomenon.
The fact that the matzevahs in Krosno can still be admired is largely the work of the “Olszówka” association. Under the management of Grzegorz Bożek and with the help of young people of Krosno, the abandoned, overgrown and littered cemetery became beautiful again and regained the respect it deserves.
A walk around the cemetery and Grzegorz Bożek’s tale about the cemetery and its restoration
fot. T. Okoniewski
