JACOB JR, MY JEWISH WORLD. THE JEWISH CEMETERY (ZIDOVSKY HRBITOV). KARLOVY VARY/CZECH REPUBLIC
Karlovy Vary is a famous spa town in western Bohemia prohibited Jews from residing in the town until the 1840s when Jewish population grew rapidly. The synagogue that accomodated 2.000 worshippers, designed by Edwin Oels Oppler, was built in 1877. A popular Jewish resort and meeting place for rabbis and communal leaders, all but four Jews left during the Sudeten crisis in 1937.
The Jewish cemetery originated in 1869. The suburban hillside, separate but near other cemeteries, has Czech sign and Hebrew mentioning the Jewish Community. Reached by turning directly off a public off a public road, access is open to all during regulated hours. A continuous masonry wall, a continuous fence, and locking gate surround. Size of cemetery before and after WWII: about 1 ha. 500-1000 gravestones, all in original location with less than 25% toppled or broken, date from 1869-20th century. The cemetery is divided into special section: children and Russian graves.
The marble, granite, limestones, and sandstones flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration, double tombstones, multi-stone monuments, or obelisks have Hebrew, German, Czech, Russian, and Hungarian inscriptions. Some have iron decorations or lettering, portraits on stones, and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains special memorial monuments to Holocaust victims and Jewsih soldiers. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Within the limits of the cemetery are a pre-burial house, an ohel, a well, and a caretaker's house. The Jewish community of Karlovy Vary owns the Jewish cemetery. Frequently, organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage group, organized individual tours, private visitors, and local residents stop. Vandalism occured prior to WWII and since. Local non-Jewish residents and Jewish groups within country re-erected stones, patched broken stones, cleaned stones, cleared vegetation, fixed wall, fixing of gate, and new roof on ceremonial hall, mostly in 1985-91.
The marble, granite, limestones, and sandstones flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration, double tombstones, multi-stone monuments, or obelisks have Hebrew, German, Czech, Russian, and Hungarian inscriptions. Some have iron decorations or lettering, portraits on stones, and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains special memorial monuments to Holocaust victims and Jewsih soldiers. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Within the limits of the cemetery are a pre-burial house, an ohel, a well, and a caretaker's house. The Jewish community of Karlovy Vary owns the Jewish cemetery. Frequently, organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage group, organized individual tours, private visitors, and local residents stop. Vandalism occured prior to WWII and since. Local non-Jewish residents and Jewish groups within country re-erected stones, patched broken stones, cleaned stones, cleared vegetation, fixed wall, fixing of gate, and new roof on ceremonial hall, mostly in 1985-91.
Shalom! Aleichem.
Cultural Support: Jacob Jr. B.A.C.E., avec L'Integration d'Association avec Israel et dans le Monde/Cz .
Comments
Post a Comment