Vanished World 2017 Calendar For Free Download

Posted on November 18, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Media

Hanukkah and Christmas are coming closer – a time of gifts in which I would like to give a present to all who accompanied my trips through Eastern Europe’s Jewish past and present. A calendar for 2017 with some of my photos is out now for free download. You may produce it on your own printer or at an on-line store of your choice. The calendar consits of photos from Jewish heritage sites in Ukraine, Moldova, Poland and Romania. Enjoy and have a great 2017!

Vadul-Raşcov Jewish cemetery, Bessarabia

Brodno Jewish cemetery, Warsaw

Olesko synagogue, Galicia

Mărculeşti Jewish cemetery, Bessarabia

Rezina Jewish cemetery, Bessarabia

Vadul-Raşcov Jewish cemetery, Bessarabia

Belz Jewish cemetery, Galicia

Zhovkva synagogue, Galicia

Botoșani synagogue, Romania

Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) Jewish cemetery, Bukovina

Bratslav synagogue, Podolia

Lviv, Galicia

Trochenbrod, Volhynia

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Vadul-Raşcov Jewish cemetery: Little is known, all is visible

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries

Vadul-Raşcov (Vadul-Rashkov) in Bessarabia is one of the most impressive Jewish cemeteries I have ever seen. There are a few hundred, if not a few thousand gravestones, located on a hill sloping to the banks of river Dniester. This is borderland – in many aspects.

Vadul-Raşcov Jewish cemetery in March 2016

River Dnieter at Vadul-Raşcov

Christian tomb next to river Dnieter at Vadul-Raşcov

Vadul-Raşcov Jewish cemetery in August 2016

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Yom Kippur in Ioannina

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Balkans, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

My Cousin Vangelis and I are travelling in Epirus in the north-west of Greece. High up in the Pindos mountains, Ioannina – the regional capital – is located. The trip gave me a unique opportunity to join the Yom Kippur service in the local synagogue and to learn more about one of the most outstanding Jewish communities in Europe.

Ioannina old town, former Jewish quarter

Ioannina old town, gate to the synagogue yard

Ioannina synagogue

Preparing for Yom Kippur in Ioannina synagogue

Preparing for Yom Kippur in Ioannina synagogue

Yom Kippur in Ioannina synagogue

Ioannina Jewish cemetery

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Compiling a new exhibition

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Exhibition

My first photo exhibitions about the Jewish heritage in Eastern Europe consisted of black and white images. To me black and white is connected to memory and commemoration – maybe because the photos of my childhood are in black and white, but also because most of the historical material preserved is in black and white. My interest in colour photography rose when I understood that heritage sites not only have a past, but also have a present. Synagogues are part of present urban space, a trace of a mezuzah is still visible, farmers let their animals graze in old cemeteries. But also absence is part of the present: cemeteries became markets, whole towns vanished. Having a good part of work already done, it’s a good moment to reflect some of the topics of the new exhibition, which will be shown by the end of January next year for the first time.

Botoșani Jewish cemetery, Romania

Botoșani synagogue, Romania

Bratslav synagogue, Ukraine

Brodno Jewish cemetery, Warsaw, Poland

Busk mass grave, Ukraine

Câmpulung Moldovenesc synagogue, Romania

Mortuary at the Jewish cemetery, Chişinău, Moldova

Mural in the Groisse Shil, Chernivtsi, Ukraine

Chernivtsi Jewish cemetery, Ukraine

Dubasari mass grave memorial, ‘Transnistria’, Moldova

Horodenka synagogue, Ukraine

Itcani New Jewish cemetery, Romania

Płaszów concentration camp site, Kraków, Poland

Lutsk synagogue, Ukraine

Golden Rose synagogue, Lviv, Ukraine

Tomb of the Baal Shem Tov in Medzhybizh, Ukraine

Meylakh Sheykhet in front of Golden Rose synagogue, Lviv, Ukraine

Mykhailivka concentration camp site, Ukraine

Rezina Jewish cemetery, Moldova

Sniatyn Jewish cemetery, Ukraine

Trochenbrod, Ukraine

Vadul Raşcov, Moldova

Former Jewish cemetery in Zhovkva, Ukraine

Zhovkva synagogue, Ukraine

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A last Galician excursion

Posted on August 27, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

Since today I’m back home, but I have still to report on our last excursion, which led us into the Ukrainian borderlands with Poland, to Velyki Mosty, Belz and Uhniv.

Velyki Mosty synagogue

Velyki Mosty – mass grave site

Belz Jewish cemetery

Belz – farmers on the way home

Belz – prayer room

Belz – Catholic church

Uhniv – Catholic church

A curious goat next to Uhniv’s Catholic church

Uhniv – beit midrash and synagogue

Uhniv synagogue

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Galicia from a train window

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia

A last goodbye to the volunteers, who clear the Jewish cemetery of Chernivtsi (Czernowitz). A last farewell to Bukovina and its capital. In the afternoon Sylvia and I took the train from Chernivtsi to Lviv. For five and a half hours we watched the beautiful Galician landscape rolling by. Now we are in Lviv – exhausted but happy – and wait for a very last excursion tomorrow.

Galicia from a train window

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Happy birthday Ukraine!

Posted on August 24, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Northern Bukovina

Now both voluntary services – SVIT Ukraine and Action Reconciliation Service for Peace (ARSP) – are working at the Jewish Cemetery of Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) to clear it from rampant vegetation. While ARSP started earlier this week, SVIT will end its work-camp by the end of the week. Also volunteers of the Jewish community joined the clean-up. Old time Czernowitzers Mimi Taylor and Sylvia de Swaan visited the volunteers of both groups in the morning.
Today is Ukraine’s Independence Day and people are celebrating in the streets. A good reason to think about the contribution of Ukrainian independence to the preservation of Jewish heritage and rebirth of Jewish life.

Volunteers working in the Jewish cemetery of Chernivtsi (Czernowitz)

Mimi Taylor meeting the volunteers working in the Jewish cemetery of Chernivtsi (Czernowitz)

Volunteers working in the Jewish cemetery of Chernivtsi (Czernowitz)

Flag decoration during Independence Day

Celebrating Independence Day

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In Chişinău

Posted on August 22, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries

Chişinău’s Jewish cemetery is the most important witness of the city’s Jewish past. Unfortunately it is in a miserable state – densely overgrown and with rubbish everywhere. Sylvia and I went there today.

Chişinău Jewish cemetery – mortuary hall

Chişinău Jewish cemetery – Irina Shikhova guiding

Chişinău Jewish cemetery

Sylvia and I – double selfie

Chişinău market

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To Vadul Raşcov and Orhei

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries

Another intense day. Sylvia and I have been to Vadul Raşcov (Vadul Rashkov) and Orhei in Bessarabia with its amazing Jewish cemeteries. Nothing compares to the Jewish cemetery of Vadul Raşcov at the banks of river Dniester. Here you get in touch with eternity.

Vadul Raşcov – Jewish cemetery

Vadul Raşcov – banks of river Dniester next to the Jewish cemetery

Vadul Raşcov – Jewish cemetery

Vadul Raşcov – Christian cemetery

Orhei – Jewish cemetery

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Return to Transnistria

Posted on August 20, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries, Podolia, Synagogues

Our journey to Ukraine and Moldova goes on. The wish of my friend Sylvia to visit Bessarabia gave me a good pretext to return to Chişinău (Kishinev). While our friends Marla and Jay returned to Lviv yesterday, Sylvia and I took the bus to the Moldovan capital. Today we were out for a long day trip to Transnistria, a break-away ‘state’, only aknowledged by Russia. We visited Dubăsari (Dubasari), Raşcov (Rashkov) and Rîbniţa (Rybnitsa).