The Jewish Cemetery
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Elsewhere in Poland, Jewish cemeteries were usually destroyed by the Nazis and the stones used for road-building material. Warsaw's cemetery was fortunate to avoid such wholesale destruction, possibly because Warsaw already had well-paved thoroughfares. Nonetheless, what the Nazis left has suffered from half a century of neglect. What remains is in need of extensive repair and restoration, but is still a fascinating and poignant place, and well worth a visit.
Established in 1806 and occupying some 33 hectares, the cemetery contains anything between 100,000 to 250,000 graves and tombs. It is one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in Europe and one of the few to be still in use today. Although the Nazis allowed the cemetery to survive, they did destroy all documentary records of Warsaw's Jews. As a result, the cemetery is considered to be the last remaining archive. Since 1996 the Friends of the Jewish cemetery in Warsaw have been working to raise money towards to cemetery's upkeep and create an index of all those buried there.
To visit the cemetery, men must cover their heads. The entrance is through a small gateway on Okopowa Street, opposite the end of Anielewicza Street.
Editors note: After receiving several requests from readers looking for family members, friends etc. whom they believe to be buried in this cemetery, we wanted to help. So, we did a little research and found a website on which you can search by surname for specific people who were buried in this and other Jewish cemeteries across Poland.
Click here to search the database of names: http://cemetery.jewish.org.pl/search/
Comments
very disturbing though.
ReplyI am doing research about my great grand father Abram Goldsztein born in 1837 and living in Warsaw. I would like to have information, if he was buried in this cemetery and when he passed away. If someone can help. Thanks. Jean Goldsztejn
ReplyThank you for your involvement with this special project to remember those who are gone. You are so generous to offer to help those searching for names on tombstones in the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery. I would appreciate if you could send the information on the stone for Gershon Sirota, a famous cantor who sang at the Great Synagogue in Warsaw, and who died in the Warsaw ghetto in 1943. I have seen articles that his tombstone is there. If you have a photo of the tombstone, so I can read the Hebrew, that would be a special gift. I am particularly interested in learning his parents' names, and assume that at least his father's is mentioned. Thanks so much.
ReplyI just came across your inquiry. The American Jewish Yearbook 1962 records that a stone had been erected on Sirota's grave, but I asked Mr. Szpilman in 2012 if he knew where it is, and he said he had never heard of it. I am currently writing an article on Sirota and would be very glad to hear if you have any further information.
ReplyHis father was Yehuda Leib Sirota...2 sources online for this..his Vilna Contract online at YIVO website and mother's grave in Warsaw..search with spelling Sierota on Warsaw cemetery list and see note re Gershon and husband in relevant columns.
Reply@Michael Vinnik: In my opinion it's would be very unusual to use the surname "Kociak" and have kaf-alef-tzadi engraved on the tombstone. Theoretically, "Katz" does mean "cat" in German, just as "kociak" means "cat" in Polish, but first of all they spelled "Katz" without an alef in all inscriptions, and almost all Katz's were Kohens (that's why in this case we went with "Kuc", meaning "pony" in Polish), and secondly you could not use surname translations simultaneously in two different languages according to your preference. Best regards!
ReplyIt is not true that men have to cover there heads when visiting the cemetary perhaps you meant women .
ReplyMy name is Michael Vinnik I am living Israel, and I am making an inquiry on a gravestone which is in the Jewish cemetery in Warsaw. The gravestone is in Sector 58, Row 13, Number 39. The name on the gravestone is Yoel Kuc Fathers name Avraham Shmuel , Date of death 9/10/1929. I think that this deceased is my grandfather Julian Kociak who lived in Warsaw in Ulica Dzielna 33.(because Kuc in Hebrew is Kociak In Polish and Yoel in Hebrew is Julian in Polih) Can you help me where can I verify if this deceased lived in the street address that is above-mentioned . Regards Michael Vinnik Israel
ReplyIm traveling thrugh warsaw with an 8 hour layover (15:00-23:00. is this enough time to visit the cemetery?
ReplyYES, I would like very much to get in touch with you, Mr.Witold Wrzosinski. Please add you email address to this site in order to make that possible. I have a few questions about the Polish cemeteries and records before before my upcoming visit.
ReplyI have worked in the Emile Karafiol project for creating a database of all inscriptions from this cemetery. It's ready and fully searchable now under this address: cemetery.jewish.org.pl. We have also added all cemeteries from the area. I will be happy to help everyone looking for assistance in their Warsaw Jewish roots research. Please feel free to contact me.
ReplyI was born in the Warsaw Ghetto in May of 1941. I was later a hidden child in Otwozk. I wish to locate any family buried in the Warsaw, Cemetery. Please advise as soon as a new director is chosen, that I may search for grandparents graves, & find my history. Thank you. eDn
ReplyThank you so much to Mr Szpilman for finding my granfathers grave in Warsaw cemetery. And also for repairing the matzeba.
ReplyI was born in Warsaw in 1939. I survived and visited Warsaw Cemeterytwo years ago but could not find my grandparents graves. Mr. Shpilman was very helpful and suggested I keep in touch because they are working on the restoration of the cemetery and are constantly finding graves previously buried or broken. I went into the virtual Warsaw Jewish Cemetery Link and found my great grandmother's grave as well as great grandfather's grave. I am still hoping to find my grandparents graves. At this present time the link is frozen due to change of directors at the cemetary. I would be grateful to be advised when I can open it up again for my search.
Replyi am the only grand grand daughter to rozner meir barried in jewish cemetery in warsaw bevore ww2.all members of rozner rozenbaum faimly , warsae jews perished in treblinka beside my mom who died 8 years ago.her name was fela rozenbaum 1919- 2001. european jewish lot.
ReplyI just recently found the grave of my great-grandmother, Jenta Pinkwasser Guzik, there, thanks to the photographic survey of Emile Karafiol. http://cemetery.jewish.org.pl/id_22276/info/_Jenta_Guzik.html
ReplyI was apalled by the conditions at this historic cemetery. Please have Friends of the Jewish Cemetery contact me so we can work together on obtaining necessary funding to make long overdue repairs to grave sites.
ReplyMa grand-mère: Sara GRADSTEIN ou GRADCHTEIN serait née à VARSOVIE dans les années 1870 et se serait mariée à VARSOVIE en 1890 avec Aaron WEINRACH. J'ai perdu leur traces à Paris en 1905 où elle a accouchée de mon père et l'a confié aux services de l'aide à l'enfance pour partir à la recherche de son mari.
ReplyDoes anyone know if David Baddiel visited and filmed in this Cemetry as it did not look like the one we visited last year. Is there another Jewish Cemetry perhaps over the river? Any info would be appreciated.
Replyhello i am glad they are trying to do the records that were destroyed. have they managed any from the 1900 and before i would be very interested as my grandfather and his family lived in warsaw but came to england in the beginning of the 1900. i am not certain that my great grandfathers father came with their name was steingold, and jewish if you have any info i would be pleased to have it. i am hoping to find births marriages and deaths but i dont know where to go . kind regards linda.
Replyjust recently my grandfather grave was found 92 years after he died.my thanks to the manager of the Jewish cemetery Mr. Szpilman!
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