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.

traces of a mezuzah in Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg)

Skala-Podilska – trace of a mezuzah

traces of a mezuzah in Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg)

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

Chortkiv – trace of a mezuzah

Brody – trace of a mezuzah

Skala-Podilska – trace of a mezuzah

traces of a mezuzah in Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg)

Chortkiv – trace of a mezuzah

Trace of a mezuzah in Praga

Zhovkva – trace of a mezuzah

Kolomyia – trace of a mezuzah

Skala-Podilska – trace of a mezuzah

Brody – mezuzah

Zhovkva – trace of a mezuzah

Lviv – trace of a mezuzah

Trace of a mezuzah at Radekhiv market square

Kolomyia – trace of a mezuzah

Chortkiv – trace of a mezuzah

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

traces of a mezuzah in Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg)

Trace of a mezuzah in Lviv, Ukraine

Trace of a mezuzah in Praga

Zhovkva – traces of a mezuzah

Skala-Podilska – trace of a mezuzah

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

Skala-Podilska – trace of a mezuzah

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Back in Warsaw

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Mazovia

It was not only the carnival in my hometown Cologne that gave me a pretext to travel to Warsaw during the last weekend. For the preparation of my next photo book on the remaining Jewish heritage in Eastern Europe I collaborate with an excellent Polish designer – Ania Nałęcka-Milach. But I also took the opportunity to stroll through the streets and backyards of Praga, situated on the east bank of Vistula River, and to have a look on the new museum documenting Bródno Jewish cemetery.

Working on the new book with Ania

Museum at Bródno Jewish cemetery

Bródno Jewish cemetery

Adam Erdheim

In Praga

Trace of a mezuzah in Praga

Old shop sign in Praga

In Praga

Mary in a backyard in Praga

In Praga

Market in Praga

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Between Berlin and Rozdil

Posted on May 3, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Central Europe, Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Mazovia, Synagogues

I traveled in Ukraine in December, visited Berlin’s Weißensee Jewish cemetery in January, have been to Warsaw and its neighbouring towns of Karczew and Otwock in February. Finally, I had time to edit some of the analogue black and whites from these trips. Here they are…

Berlin Weißensee, Jewish cemetery

Bródno Jewish cemetery, Warsaw

Karczew Jewish cemetery, south of Warsaw

Otwock Jewish cemetery, south of Warsaw

Rozdil synagogue, Galicia, Ukraine

Rozdil Jewish cemetery, Galicia, Ukraine

Shchyrets Jewish cemetery, Galicia, Ukraine

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Sinking in the Sand

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Mazovia, Synagogues

In the towns south of Warsaw some traces of the former Jewish presence are still visible. In Falenica is a former synagogue. In Otwock, Karczew and Radość Jewish cemeteries are preserved. But the future of these monuments is uncertain.

Karczew Jewish cemetery

Karczew Jewish cemetery

Otwock, wood building

Otwock Jewish cemetery

Falenica, former synagogue

Radość Jewish cemetery

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What is left of the Jewish Heritage in Góra Kalwaria?

Posted on February 25, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Mazovia, Synagogues

South of Warsaw, Góra Kalwaria was once an important Hasidic court. Thanks to a friend, I was able to find what is left and preserved until the present day. There are the remains of a synagogue – waiting for renovation – and a destroyed but well maintained cemetery. And there is a strange local habit…

Góra Kalwaria synagogue

Góra Kalwaria, residence of the rabbi

Góra Kalwaria synagogue

Góra Kalwaria Jewish cemetery

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A Remnant Rescued from the Flames

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Mazovia, Synagogues

Nożyk Synagogue is Warsaw’s last synagogue situated on the left bank of Vistula river that survived World War II. It is one out of two functioning synagogues in the city. Before the war, 400 synagogues and prayer houses were at disposal of the world’s largest Jewish community. Today, Nożyk Synagogue is part of a Jewish community center.

Nożyk Synagogue, Warsaw

Graffiti next to Nożyk Synagogue, Warsaw

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Bródno Jewish Cemetery Revisited

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Mazovia

Bródno Jewish cemetery in Warsaw is an extraordinary place. There are intact cemeteries or there are destroyed cemeteries, where no or only a few remains of the former purpose are still visible. Bródno Jewish cemetery is the visibility of destruction.

Bródno Jewish cemetery, Warsaw

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Brodno Cemetery in Black and White

Posted on January 31, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Mazovia

To visit the Jewish cemetery in the district of Brodno was one of the most impressive experiences during my trip to Warsaw in December. Some days ago I received the scans of the film negatives. Here is a first selection of the black and white photos.

Brodno Jewish cemetery

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Warsaw

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Mazovia

The photo exhibition by Wojciech Wilczyk gave me a good pretext to visit Warsaw. Warsaw, the city that was completely destroyed. Warsaw, the city that resurrected. What gives people the strenght to build a new city upon ruins? My father was in Warsaw when the city went up in flames and was blown up block by block. He was a soldier of the German Wehrmacht, and his unit was in the city during the Warsaw Uprising. He never talked about the war, and I’ll never know what he did. How could he live with the destruction of Warsaw? And how can I?