A World of Stones

Posted on April 13, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Ukraine, Jewish Cemeteries, Podolia, Synagogues

Our little group continued its trip through Galicia today. We have been to Hrymailiv, Sataniv, Husiatyn, Chabarivka and Probizhna. A long day on the road. Many things we experienced are connected to the destruction of Jewish life in the region – the Holocaust and the post-war erasure of remaining testimonies of Jewish presence. If stones could speak…

Hrymailiv synagogue

Hrymailiv – former Jewish cemetery

Sataniv

Sataniv synagogue

Sataniv Jewish cemetery

Husiatyn synagogue

Husiatyn – former Jewish cemetery

Chabarivka – former collective farm “Communist”

Probizhna synagogue

Probizhna Jewish cemetery

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Between Lviv and Ternopil

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

Today was the first day of a new trip through Galicia with my friends Marla, Jay, Alex and Vasyl. On our way to Ternopil we stopped in the towns of Bibrka, Rohatyn, Berezhany and Kosova to visit its Jewish heritage sites. As different as those towns are, as different is what is preserved there.

Bibrka synagogue

Rohatyn – mass grave site

Rohatyn – old Jewish cemetery

Berezhany synagogue

Berezhany – Armenian church

Berezhany – building in the old town

Berezhany Jewish cemetery

Kosova synagogue

Kosova Jewish cemetery

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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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Snow covered Cemeteries

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

Winterly Galicia looks beautiful. But iced roads can be dangerous and a cold wind was blowing today, when I was out with friend and driver Vasyl to visit the Jewish cemeteries in Shchyrets, Rozdil and Mykolaiv. We discovered some real masterpieces of stone carving.

Shchyrets Jewish cemetery

Rozdil Jewish cemetery

Rozdil synagogue

Mykolaiv – mass shooting site

Mykolaiv Jewish cemetery

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Inside Jakob Glanzer Shul

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Synagogues

Jakob Glanzer Shul is one of the last remaining synagogues in Lviv. The building is in bad condition; an adjuncting wall already collapsed. Since years a young man fights for the preservation of the synagogue. I met him today.

Jakob Glanzer Shul

Inside Jakob Glanzer Shul

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Some Summer Black and Whites

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Christian Herrmann under Bessarabia, Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

After working a lot on my colour photos I finally found time to return to the analogue black and whites. Here is a selection of images I took in August during the trip to Ukraine and Moldova. Represented are Jewish cemeteries in Chişinău (Kishinev), Orhei and Vadul-Raşcov (Vadul Rashkov) in Bessarabia/Moldova, cemeteries in Rîbniţa (Rybnitsa) and Raşcov (Rashkov) in the break away “state” of Transnistria, as well as the former synagogue of Sniatyn in Galicia, Ukraine.

Chişinău Jewish cemetery

Orhei Jewish cemetery

Rîbniţa Jewish cemetery

Orhei Jewish cemetery

Raşcov Jewish cemetery

Vadul-Raşcov Jewish cemetery

Sniatyn synagogue

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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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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.