To Zhovkva in Good Company

Posted on August 13, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

A new journey has begun. Over the next two weeks I will be traveling with my friend Sylvia de Swaan – a great photographer. The first week of our trip through Galicia, Bukovina and Bessarabia we will share with our friends and researchers Marla Raucher Osborn and Jay Osborn. Today we were in Zhovkva, about 30 kilometers north from Lviv.

Zhovkva synagogue

Zhovkva synagogue

Jay Osborn

Zhovkva

Zhovkva – trace of a mezuzah

Zhovkva market – formerly the Jewish cemetery

Zhovkva market – ohel at the former Jewish cemetery

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Bessarabia in Black and White (Vol. 4)

Posted on July 3, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries

The work of the past few weeks has come to a temporary end. Here are the last of the analog black and white photos of the trip to Bessarabia/Moldova in March and April. Among them are images of Jewish cemeteries in Briceni, Lipcani and Vadul-Raşcov (Vadul Rashkov). While it is the quality of stone carvings that is impressing in Lipcani, it is the unique combination of the cemetery and the environment at river Dniester in Vadul-Raşcov.
Now I have to decide which images I want to rework and print for future exhibitions. Not an easy decision. What are your favorites?

Vadul-Raşcov (Vadul Rashkov) Jewish cemetery

Lipcani Jewish cemetery

Briceni Jewish cemetery

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Bessarabia in Black and White (Vol. 3)

Posted on June 26, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries

Here is the next selection of analog black and white photos from the trip to Bessarabia/Moldova in spring 2016. I’m glad to have time to work on the images, without interruptions by further journeys. This set contains pictures of Jewish heritage sites in Alexandreni, Bălţi (Beltsy), Lipcani, Orhei, Otaci (Ataki), Rybnitsa and Vadul-Raşcov (Vadul Rashkov). As many Moldovan towns and cities have been fully destroyed in World War II, the cemeteries are often the last voices of the Jewish history.

Lipcani Jewish cemetery

Alexandreni Jewish cemetery

Bălţi (Beltsy) Jewish cemetery

Orhei Jewish cemetery

Otaci (Ataki) Jewish cemetery

Rybnitsa Jewish cemetery

Vadul-Raşcov (Vadul Rashkov) Jewish cemetery

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Bessarabia in Black and White (Vol. 2)

Posted on June 12, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

I continued to work on the analog black and white images of the trip to Bessarabia/Moldova in March/April. Here is the result, including photos of Jewish heritage sites in Orhei, Otaci (Ataki), Prodănești (Prodaneshty), Raşcov (Rashkov), Rezina, Soroca and Zguriţa (Zguritsa). More is coming.

Rezina Jewish cemetery

Raşcov (Rashkov) synagogue

Orhei Jewish cemetery

Otaci (Ataki) Jewish cemetery

Prodănești (Prodaneshty) Jewish cemetery

Soroca Jewish cemetery

Zguriţa (Zguritsa) synagogue

Zguriţa (Zguritsa) Jewish cemetery

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First black and whites from the recent trip to Bessarabia

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries, Podolia

About two weeks ago I received the scans of the films I shot during the trip to Bessarabia/Moldova in March and April. Since then I spend most of my evenings with going through the images, select those of which I think they are worth to work on, and to correct them. A quite time consuming but also satisfying work. Here is now a very first selection of images from Chişinău, Făleşti, Tirgul Vertiujeni, Mărculeşti, Călăraşi in Moldova and Mohyliv-Podilskyi in Ukraine. More is going to come during the next weeks.

Chişinău Jewish cemetery – wall made of tombstones

Chişinău Jewish cemetery – mortuary

Făleşti Jewish cemetery

Călăraşi Jewish cemetery

Mărculeşti Jewish cemetery

Mohyliv-Podilskyi Jewish cemetery

Tirgul Vertiujeni – former Jewish home

Tirgul Vertiujeni – former Jewish shop

Tirgul Vertiujeni – remains of the Jewish cemetery

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Of traveling in Moldova, Jewish cemeteries, vanished worlds and photographs

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Joachim Steinigeweg under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries

Usually Christian is the author if this blog. Recently he gave me the opportunity to write about my impressions of the journey we just had together in Moldova. I am thankful to have a place to publish my thoughts.

Portrait on a Jewish gravestone

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Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty reports on Jewish cemeteries in Moldova

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

The Moldovan edition of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty broadcasted a documentary about Jewish cemeteries in the country. Represented are the cemeteries in Chisinau, Orhei and Vadul-Rashcov. They are outstanding witnesses of Jewish heritage in Moldova. Hopefully this will contribute to raise awareness of public, politics and administrations towards these cemeteries and their worthiness of protection. I am grateful to have been interviewed by editor Eugenia Pogor and for the chance to express my view of the significance of these places for all of us.

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Farewell, Moldova!

Posted on April 2, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries

On our last common day in Moldova Achim, Petra and I went from Bălţi (Beltsy) back to Chişinău (Kishinev). We decided to take a western route to visit the Jewish cemetery in Făleşti (Faleshty).

Făleşti – Jewish cemetery

On the road

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In the Moldovan Borderlands

Posted on April 1, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries

Today we have been in the outer northwest of Moldova, in Briceni and Lipcani. Here you find yourself in a triangle between Moldova, Romania and Ukraine. In both places there are remarkable old Jewish cemeteries.

Briceni – Jewish cemetery

Lipcani – Jewish cemetery

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A short trip to Ukraine

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Bessarabia, Jewish Cemeteries, Podolia

Soroca is located in the border area with Ukraine. This has given us the opportunity to make a trip from Otaci to Mohyliv-Podilskyi today. The local Jewish cemetery is one of the most important witnesses of the past.