East of Lviv through Galicia

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

On Monday, it was the last opportunity to travel during my recent trip to Ukraine. My friends Marla, Jay, Vasyl and I decided for a route eastwards to the towns and villages of Holohory, Zolochiv, Sasiv, Pidhirtsi and Brody with its Jewish heritage sites. Back in Lviv we had a look at Jewish tombstones recently discovered during construction works. Summed up, it was a kaleidoscopic view of beauty and horror.

Holohory Jewish cemetery

View from Holohory Jewish cemetery

Holohory – ‘Turkish Tower’

Zolochiv Jewish cemetery

Talking with representatives of Zolochiv at the Jewish cemetery

Mass grave site between Zolochiv and Sasiv

Sasiv Jewish cemetery

Church of Pidhirtsi castle

Storks next to the church of Pidhirtsi castle

Brody synagogue

Butterfly at Brody Jewish cemetery

Brody Jewish cemetery

Jewish tombstones from a construction ground in Lviv

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En Route with the Volunteers of SVIT Ukraine

Posted on July 16, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Northern Bukovina

A cemetery clean-up is not only about work. Volunteers who joined SVIT Ukraine’s annual ‘workcamp’ to clean the Jewish cemetery of Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) also have the opportunity to learn about the multi-ethnic past and present of western Ukraine, make friends and have fun. Yesterday, we went for an excursion to Jewish heritage sites in Kosiv, Kuty and Vyzhnytsia – and had a pick-nick next to the scenic village of Sheshory.

Kosiv crafts market

In the jungle of Kosiv Jewish cemetery

Kosiv Jewish cemetery

Pick-nick in Sheshory

Pick-nick in Sheshory – old farm house

Pick-nick in Sheshory

Kuty Jewish cemetery

Vyzhnytsia Jewish cemetery

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An Unresolved Riddle in Sniatyn

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries

I have been to Sniatyn last year with friends to find the old and new Jewish cemetery of this Galician town. We believed to have found the new Jewish cemetery. According to old maps the old cemetery should be located directly next to the new one. Today I returned – but again I couldn’t find more traces. Who knows more?

Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) – waiting for the bus to leave

Sniatyn Jewish cemetery

Sniatyn Christian cemetery

Sniatyn – Jewish homes

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Zalishchyky’s Imposing Synagogue

Posted on July 13, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Synagogues

Zalishchyky – picturesquely situated at a turn of Dniester River – had a glorious past as a resort. Some remains of a spa are still visible close to the river. Another reminder of the past is Zalishchyky’s synagogue – in the Soviet era transformed into a factory. Today, I took the opportunity to have a look on it.

Dniester River from the bus window

Zalishchyky synagogue

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Exploring Chernivtsi with Friends and Volunteers

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Northern Bukovina, Synagogues

Both, SVIT Ukraine and Action Reconciliation for Peace have started their annual clean-up in the Jewish cemetery of Chernivtsi (Czernowitz). Despite the hot weather the volunteers bravely remove the rampant vegetation of the cemetery. Being with them is a good pretext to stroll through the beautiful city.

Cemetery clean-up in Chernivtsi (Czernowitz)

Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) – Choral Synagogue, now a gym

Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) – old Jewish quarter

Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) – synagogue in the old Jewish quarter

Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) – murals in the Groisse Shil

Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) – door decoration in the old Jewish quarter

Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) – old Jewish quarter

Mimi Taylor

Sadagora – renovated synagogue of the Hasidic court

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Time Traveling between Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi

Posted on July 11, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Northern Bukovina, Synagogues

Last Sunday, my friends and I continued our trip to Chernivtsi (Czernowitz). We had stops in Lysets, Bohorodchany, Nadvirna, Deliatyn, Kolomyia, Kosiv, Kuty and Vyzhnytsia to visit Jewish cemeteries, former synagogues, Hasidic courts and mass grave sites.

Lysets Jewish cemetery

Bohorodchany Jewish cemetery

Nadvirna Jewish cemetery

Deliatyn mass grave memorial

Deliatyn Jewish cemetery

Kolomyia – Old Jewish Cemetery

Kolomyia – trace of a mezuzah

Kolomyia – former synagogue at Orenstein Street

Kuty Jewish cemetery

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On Galician Roads again

Posted on July 8, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

A new Jewish heritage trip to Galicia and Bukovina has begun. It was a long day for my friends Marla, Jay, Vasyl, my cousin Nana and me when we went from Lviv to Ivano-Frankivsk. In between were the towns of Zhydachiv, Stryi, Bolekhiv, Dolyna and Kalush with its synagogues and Jewish cemeteries. Some of them are beautifully preserved, others are fully gone.