Into Podolia

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Podolia

Vasyl, our great driver, brought Sylvia and me to Vinnytsia in Podolia today. On the way we have taken a look on the Jewish cemetery of Ternopil and have visited Medzhybizh – the place where the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism, was buried. A magic place.

Ternopil Jewish cemetery

Medzhybizh Castle

Medzhybizh – reconstructed Beit Midrash of the Baal Shem Tov

Medzhybizh – Jewish cemetery – tomb of the Baal Shem Tov

Medzhybizh – Jewish cemetery

Medzhybizh – Jewish cemetery – tomb of the Baal Shem Tov

Medzhybizh – Jewish cemetery

Medzhybizh – Jewish cemetery – tomb of the Baal Shem Tov

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Ghostlike Appearences

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Northern Bukovina

Portraits of the deceased on gravestones do actually not exist in Jewish tradition. It is a custom that is common in Christian cemeteries in many European countries and was adopted since the interwar period. The Jewish cemetery of Czernowitz (Chernivtsi) is particularly rich in such portraits.

Portraits on gravestones at the Jewish cemetery of Czernowitz (Chernivtsi)

Portraits on gravestones at the Jewish cemetery of Czernowitz (Chernivtsi)

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All the way back

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Northern Bukovina

On April 18, my friends and I came back home from our trip to Bukovina. What happened between the last blog post on April 15, and our return, I still have to report. At the end of this journey I also have to thank some people – my friends Petra and Achim and my virtual fellow travelers who have commented, offered advice and shared memories. We’ll meet again – on the next trip!

Czernowitz Old Jewish Cemetery – wall consisting of tombstones

Czernowitz Old Jewish Cemetery

Czernowitz Grand Temple – now a cinema

Czernowitz – buying flowers from the babushkas

Bus from Czernowitz to Suceava

Leaving Cluj

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Some progress in Czernowitz

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Northern Bukovina

It was a gray day in Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) today. For three hours I went for a walk in the Jewish cemetery – a place which speaks about one and a half centuries of life of one of the most important Jewish communities in eastern Europe. There is good news to report, the situation has improved since my visit last summer. Most of the ways and pathes are cleared and accessible. Large parts of the cemetery have been cleaned – and this was done very thorough and sustainable. The various initiatives to maintain the cemetery finally have an effect. But now the destructions of the past are getting visible. A new challenge.

Czernowitz Jewish cemetery

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Further East

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Moldavia, Synagogues

On the way back to Suceava, we took another excursion to the east into the Bukovina adjoining Botoșani county. Botoșani and Bucecea and the traces of Jewish heritage in both places were our destinations.

Botoșani – New Jewish Cemetery

Botoșani – Old Jewish Cemetery

Botoșani – synagogue

Bucecea – Jewish cemetery

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North of Radautz

Posted on April 12, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Moldavia, Southern Bukovina, Synagogues

Siret is a small town north of Radautz; from there we went on to Mihaileni and Dorohoi. Both places are no longer in Bukovina, but already in the neighboring Botoșani county. The traces of Jewish life are easy to find in all three places.

Radautz – synagogue

Siret – Old Jewish Cemetery

Siret – New Jewish Cemetery

Siret – Middle Jewish Cemetery

Siret – New Jewish Cemetery

Mihaileni – Jewish cemetery

Dorohoi – New Jewish Cemetery

Dorohoi – synagogue

Dorohoi – Old Jewish Cemetery

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Radautz and Surroundings

Posted on April 11, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Southern Bukovina, Synagogues

The Jewish cemetery of Rădăuţi (Radautz) was one of the highlights of our trip so far – one of the most impressive cemeteries I’ve ever seen. South of Radautz are Solca and Arbore. In both villages are Jewish cemeteries. We visited them today.

Radautz – former synagogue, now a shop

Radautz – Temple Synagogue

Radautz

Radautz – Jewish cemetery

Solca – Jewish cemetery

Arbore – stork

Arbore – Jewish cemetery

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From Vatra Dornei to Rădăuţi

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Southern Bukovina

A great pass road crosses the Carpathians from Vatra Dornei to Rădăuţi (Radautz). On our way down to the flatlands we visited the Christian cemetery of Fundu Moldovei to honor Traian Popovici, the Jewish cemetery of Moldoviţa and two of the famous Moldavian monasteries.

Fundu Moldovei – Christian cemetery

Moldoviţa – Jewish cemetery

Moldovița Monastery – siege of Constantinople by the Turks

Suceviţa Monastery

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Glamour and Simplicity

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Southern Bukovina, Synagogues

Vatra Dornei is an old spa in the middle of the Carpathians. The traces of its glamourous past are still visible. This includes a magnificent synagogue. A colorful contrast is the surrounding countryside with its wild mountains. In Cârlibaba we visited a particularly poignant small Jewish cemetery.

Vatra Dornei Casino

Vatra Dornei – Temple Synagogue

Vatra Dornei Synagogue

Vatra Dornei – Jewish cemetery

Cârlibaba – Jewish cemetery

Near Cârlibaba

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High up in the Carpathians

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Southern Bukovina, Synagogues

Today we traveled further west, deeper into the Carpathians. The Monastery of Voroneţ and the Jewish heritage of Vama and Câmpulung Moldovenesc were on our way. Again and we looked for the remaining traces of Jewish Bukovina, for cemeteries and synagogues.