A New Experience

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia

It seems like an eternity since I was last time in Ukraine. The pandemic simply made it impossible. And it’s been almost two years now since Susanne Brahms and Rainer Krause from Blind Cat Documentary in Bremen asked me if I would support them in a TV documentary about the shtetl. Now that the whole team has been vaccinated and the infection figures in Ukraine are relatively low, this has finally become a reality. From 20 August to 5 September I was on the road in Galicia, Podolia and Bukovina. In the coming days and weeks I will report on the trip. At the beginning there is Lviv.

Lviv - Fragments of a Soviet monument at the Territory of Terror memorial site

Lviv - Synagogue model in the Jakub Glanzer Shul

Lviv - Tombstone fragments at the Jewish cemetery

Lviv - Tombstone fragment at the Jewish cemetery

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I should say some words: Thank you!

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Christian Herrmann under Uncategorized

Yesterday I was awarded with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for my commitment to the Jewish heritage of Eastern Europe – the order is better known as the Federal Cross of Merit. It was handed over to me by Cologne’s Lord Mayor Henriette Reker in the Historic City Hall. Since some friends have already commented on it publicly, perhaps I should say a few words too, because this honour does not only concern me, it is an honour for a whole network of people.

Cologne's Lord Mayor Henriette Reke and I during the award ceremony

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany - award certificate

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Vanished World 2021 Calendar For Free Download

Posted on November 28, 2020 by Christian Herrmann under Belarus, Media

Considering the past year, I assume we all deserve a small gift. I would like to give a gift to all who followed my trips through Eastern Europe’s Jewish past and present. A calendar for 2021 with some of my photos is now available for free download. In solidarity with the brave Belarusians who fight a terrorist dictatorship, I was using exclusively photo motifs from Belarus for this year’s calendar. They were taken in spring 2019 – a time when traveling was still possible and nobody thought of a pandemic to come. The images may remind us how much Belarus is part of a European and global culture.

Vanished World calendar 2021

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Kos – a Jewish community in the Aegean Sea

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Christian Herrmann under Aegean Sea, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

The Corona pandemic has changed my life – like that of many others. I worked from home for over half a year. What hit me hardest: I couldn’t travel. In the first half of October, however, a time window opened up. I traveled to Greece with two friends – first to Athens, then on to the island of Nisyros. On the way back we had half a day to explore Kos – once the home of a Jewish community.

Kos – synagogue

Kos – new Jewish cemetery

Kos – old Jewish cemetery

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And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Mazovia

Finding the trace of a mezuzah – a Jewish home blessing – is always a touching moment. The trace is a direct link to the former residents. The people are gone and with them the mezuzah. But the traces remain.

Trace of a mezuzah in Praga

Chortkiv – trace of a mezuzah

traces of a mezuzah in Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg)

Chortkiv – trace of a mezuzah

Pidhaitsi, Galicia in Ukraine – trace of a mezuzah at the door frame of house in the former Jewish quarter

traces of a mezuzah in Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg)

Trace of a mezuzah in Lviv, Ukraine

Chortkiv – trace of a mezuzah

Trace of a mezuzah at Radekhiv market square

Kolomyia – trace of a mezuzah

traces of a mezuzah in Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg)

Kolomyia – trace of a mezuzah

Skala-Podilska – trace of a mezuzah

traces of a mezuzah in Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg) – well preserved

Brody – trace of a mezuzah

Lviv – trace of a mezuzah

Zhovkva – trace of a mezuzah

Zhovkva – traces of a mezuzah

Skala-Podilska – trace of a mezuzah

Kolomyia – trace of a mezuzah

Trace of a mezuzah in Praga

traces of a mezuzah in Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg)

Zhovkva – trace of a mezuzah

Trace of a mezuzah in Stryi, former Jewish quarter, Ukraine

Brody – mezuzah

traces of a mezuzah in Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg)

Skala-Podilska – trace of a mezuzah

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There is still a lot to tell

Posted on April 16, 2020 by Christian Herrmann under Central Ukraine, Eastern Galicia, Exhibition, Jewish Cemeteries

Galicia, Kyiv, Greece and some exhibitions. There is still a lot to tell about the past year. The forced break caused by the corona virus gives me the opportunity to do it.

Lviv – Tikvat Zion synagogue

Lviv – Yiddish shop sign

Lviv – trace of a mezuzah

Brody – mezuzah

Brody – trace of a mezuzah

Pomoriany – destroyed Jewish cemetery

Pomoriany – cold storage made from Jewish tombstones

Pomoriany – former collective farm

Vienna airport – traveling Hasidim

Kyiv – exhibition opening at Triptych: Global Arts Workshop – © Triptych: Global Arts Workshop

Kyiv – German Embassy – © Myroslava Hartmond

Kyiv – House with Chimaeras

Kyiv – Podil Synagogue and Community Centre

Ioannina – house decoration

Cologne – exhibition opening at Lew Kopelew Forum

Cologne – exhibition opening at Lew Kopelew Forum – © Lew Kopelew Forum

Cologne – exhibition flyer

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From Kolomyia eastwards and back to Lviv

Posted on March 5, 2020 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries

My friends and I continued our trip through Galicia in Ukraine on February 23. We started our day in Kolomyia and headed east to Horodenka and then towards Zolotyi Potik. Jewish heritage sites in Hvizdets, Chernelytsia, Zabolotiv and Obertyn were along the way.

Kolomyia – tombstones in a backyard

Kolomyia – trace of a mezuzah

Hvizdets – Jewish cemetery

Horodenka – old Jewish cemetery

Chernelytsia – Jewish cemetery

Zolotyi-Potik – Jewish cemetery

Zolotyi-Potik – tombstone fragments next to the palace

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From Lviv to Kolomyia

Posted on March 1, 2020 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries

Last weekend my friends and I traveled through Galicia in Ukraine again – this time south of Lviv. The first day of the trip took us to Kolomyia. Along the way were Jewish cemeteries in Mykulychyn, Lanchyn, Pechenizhyn, Yabluniv and Zabolotiv.

Mykulychyn Jewish cemetery

Lanchyn Jewish cemetery

Pechenizhyn Jewish cemetery

Yabluniv Jewish cemetery

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Towards the Carpathian Mountains

Posted on February 27, 2020 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries

During the carnival, I fled my hometown Cologne for a week and traveled to Ukraine. For three days, I was on the road with friends. On February 20, our route led us to Medenychi, Opory, Rivne (Königsau), Skole, Lysiatychi, Lavochne and Rozhniativ.

Medenychi – mass grave site

Opory – mass grave site

Rivne (Königsau) – German cemetery

Verkhnie Synovydne – mass grave site

Skole – Jewish cemetery

Rozhniativ – Jewish cemetery

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Vanished World 2020 Calendar For Free Download

Posted on December 7, 2019 by Christian Herrmann under Media

It’s already December and with all its holidays this month is for many of us a time of gifts. I would like to give a present to all who accompanied my trips through Eastern Europe’s Jewish past and present – either in person or by following my experiences through the Vanished World blog or social media. A calendar for 2020 with some of my photos is now available for free download. It is mainly based on the images I exhibited in 2019 in Kyiv and Cologne. Some were taken in Ukraine – Galicia and Podolia – others in Belarus. You may produce the calendar on your own printer or at an on-line shop of your choice. Enjoy and have a great 2020!