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  fot. Agnieszka Stańczak  

Jewish culture in Poland

 

 

The most interesting city connected with Jewish Heritage is Krakow:
- Kazimierz – Jewish Quarter – formerly an independent city and today a quarter of Krakow, close to the city centre. Every place in Kazimierz is connected with the history of Jews in Poland. Narrow streets, small tenements, synagogues, cemeteries. Following the tragedy of the Second World War Kazimierz gradually to fell into ruin. Since 1980s constantly reconstructed, today, it is becoming a real gem of the city. Kazimierz has became more famous thanks to Steven Spielberg’s film Schindler’s List and Jewish Culture Festival. Cafes, clubs and galleries make the place interesting not only for history lovers.
Old Synagogue – at Szeroka Street, built in 15th century in Renaissance style, seat of Jewish Museum,
- Remuh Synagogue – at Szeroka Street, built in 1553, offers services,
Tall Synagogue – at Józefa Street, built in 1556-1563 in Renaissance style,
Isaac’s Synagogue – at Kupa Street, Jewish culture and historical center,
- Kupa Synagogue – at Warszauera Street, built in 1643 in Baroque style, renovated - became a home for senior members of the Krakow community,
Bociana Synagogue – at Szeroka Street, founded in 1620 by Wolf Bocian, today a local culture house,
- Tempel Synagogue – at Miodowa Street, constructed in 1860-1862 in Neo-Romanesque style, open for services,
- The Old Cemetary – beside the Remuh Synagogue,
- The New Cemetary – established in 1800, people are still buried there,
- A community building - at Skawińska Street
Hebrew Hospital – operated between 1822-1939, from 1866 in the building at Skawińska Street,
- A community bath - house and mikhev, today a restaurant Klezmer Hois, at Szeroka Street,
Fragment of the ghetto wall – several meter long, at Lwowska Street,
The Jewish Student House – at Przemyska Street.

 

Warsaw
You can find the atmosphere of the old times at Próżna Street – the street and the buildings look like years ago. The Festival of Jewish Culture “Warsaw of Singer” has been organized annually (in 2006 from 5 to 10 September) for three years. There are many places connected with Jewish history in Warsaw, among others:
- Nożyk Synagogue – a Neo-Romanesque synagogue founded by Zalman and Rivka Nożyk in 1902, open for prayers and services,
- The Bródno cemetery – at Św. Wincentego Street, established in 1780, destroyed by Nazis in 1941, about 6000 tombstones preserved,
The Cemetary at Okopowa 49/51 – established in 1806, functions to this day,
- A mikveh building – today a private school, 31 Wójcika Street,
- The orphanage run by Janusz Korczak – before Second World War in the building at 92 Krochmalna Street, today 6 Jaktorowska Street,
- A memorial rock where the command bunker of the Jewish Fighting Organization was situated and where Mordechaj Anielewicz and other fighters died,
-    Bersohn’s and Bauman’s Children Hospital – 60 Sienna Street, built in 1876-1878, after Second World War the Warsaw Children’s Hospital,
- Remembrance Lane and the Umschlagplatz Memorial,
The former Jewish Student House – 7 Sierakowskiego Street, built in 1923-1926, today the headquarters of the police administration,
- Jewish Historical Institute – 3/5 Tłomackie Street, the largest depository of Jewish-related archival documents, books, journals, museum objects,
- Memorial to Ghetto Heroes – designed by N. Rappaport, unveiled in 1948.

 

Łódź
Before the Second World War Jewish community accounted for 1/3 of the total population of the city. Today, you can find here many preserved factories, palaces, buildings and the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe.
- The Cemetery - established in 1892, about 180 000 tombstones, 100 acres, the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe,
The Kondsztadt family palace – built in 1896, 53 Piotrkowska Street,
- The Poznański family palace at 32 Gdańska Street – built in 1904 for Israel Kalman Poznański’s Society of Cotton Products, today the Academy of Music in Łódź,
The Poznański family palace at 36 Więckowskiego Street – erected in 1896, now a museum of art,
The Poznański family palace at 15 Ogrodowa Street – construction started in 1888, but completed in 1902-1903. Today Historical Museum of the City of Łódź,
Hertz residence – built in 1892, now seat of the Rector of the Medical Academy,
Arnold Stiller’s residence from 19th century,
- Isreael Kalman Poznański’s textile factory – built in 1872-1892, designed by H. Majewski,
- Macus Silberstein’s textile factory – built in 1894, designed by A. Zeligson, an eclectic construction with Gothic and Renaissance elements.

 

Lublin
The city is known as Polish Jerusalem or Jewish Oxford . Many interesting places connected with Jewish heritage:
Centre of Hasidism,
- The Castle – many interesting facts connected with the history of Jewish community,
- The building of Yeshivat Chachmei Lublin (Rabbinical Academy, “School of Lublin’s Wise Men”) – opened in 1930, it was established from the collections from Jews from the whole world. It was the best equipped high school of this type in the world,
Neoclasical Synagogue at Lubartowska Street,
Cemetary, Old Kirkut – probably the oldest preserved Jewish cemetery in Poland, very well known in the world,
Former Jewish Hospital – built in 1886, from the founds of Jewish community and equipped by wealthy Jews, it was one of the best equipped hospitals in Poland,
Orphanage for Jewish kids – operating 1867-1942, 11 Grodzka Street. Orphanage was established thanks to the founds of a cobbler.