South of Kolomiya

Posted on by under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries

May 1. Kolomiya turns out to be a pretty and lively town. We decide to stay a day longer than we originally planned, and to take a trip from here to southern Galicia. Yabloniv, Kosiv and Kuty are our destinations.

Kolomiya – synagogue
Kolomiya – market
Kolomiya – market
Yabloniv – Jewish cemetery
Yabloniv – Jewish cemetery
Yabloniv – Jewish cemetery
Yabloniv – Jewish cemetery
Yabloniv – Jewish cemetery
Kosiv – Jewish cemetery
Kosiv – Jewish cemetery
Kuty – Jewish cemetery
Kuty – Jewish cemetery
Kuty – Jewish cemetery
Kuty – Jewish cemetery
Kuty – Jewish cemetery

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From Chernivtsi to Kolomiya via Zabolotiv

Posted on by under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries

April 30. Our time in Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) comes to an end. We have to say Goodbye to the city and to dear friends. The second part of our journey begins. On the way back through Galicia are Zabolotiv (Zablotow) and Kolomiya our first stops.

Galician roads
Zabolotiv – town’s center
Zabolotiv – Jewish cemetery
Zabolotiv – Jewish cemetery
Zabolotiv – Jewish cemetery
Zabolotiv – Jewish cemetery
Zabolotiv – monument for Manes Sperber
Zabolotiv – Polish cemetery

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The Lost Synagogues of Chernivtsi – A Correction

Posted on by under Northern Bukovina, Synagogues

April 29. My fellow travelers and I have time to stroll through the streets of Chernivtsi (Czernowitz). As always, it is wonderful to be here. In October last year I wrote about the lost synagogues of the city. Berti Glaubach then made me aware of an error. Now I have a chance to correct my mistake.

Stangerische Shil
Stangerische Shil
The green house – not a synagogue

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A trip through Bukovina

Posted on by under Jewish Cemeteries, Northern Bukovina

April 28. We drive through Bukovina: Storozhynets, Davidivka, Vyzhnytsia and Vashkivtsi. We are in search of the traces of a Bukovinian celebrity – Joseph Schmidt. And of course, there is a lot along the way to see.

Storozhynets – Jewish cemetery
Davidivska
Davidivska
Vyzhnytsia – Jewish cemetery
Vyzhnytsia – Jewish cemetery
Vashkivtsi – Jewish cemetery
Vashkivtsi – Jewish cemetery
Vashkivtsi – Jewish cemetery
Vashkivtsi – Jewish cemetery

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From Galicia to Bukovina

Posted on by under Eastern Galicia, Synagogues

April 26. Chortkiv is our last stop in Galicia, a former center of Hasidism. Then we travel further south, into the Bukovina and towards Chernivtsi (former Czernowitz).

Chrortkiv – Hasidic synagogue
Chrortkiv – Hasidic synagogue
Chrortkiv – Hasidic synagogue
Chrortkiv – market
Chrortkiv – synagogue next to the market
Chrortkiv – synagogue next to the market
Chrortkiv – synagogue next to the market
Chrortkiv – synagogue next to the market
Chrortkiv – synagogue next to the market

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From Berezhani to Chortkiv

Posted on by under Eastern Galicia

April 25. We travel further through Eastern Galicia. Berezhani, Pidhaitsi, Buchach, Chortkiv – remains of synagogues, cemeteries and rabbinical courts.

Berezhani – market square
Berezhani – Jewish cemetery
Berezhani – Jewish cemetery
Berezhani – Jewish cemetery
Berezhani – Jewish cemetery
Berezhani – Jewish cemetery
Berezhani – tour with the students from the local orphanage
Berezhani – Great Synagogue
Berezhani – Great Synagogue
Pidhaitsi – Jewish cemetery
Pidhaitsi – Jewish cemetery
Pidhaitsi – Jewish cemetery, mass grave
Pidhaitsi – Jewish cemetery
Pidhaitsi – Jewish cemetery
Pidhaitsi – synagogue
Pidhaitsi – synagogue

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From Brody to Berezhani

Posted on by under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

April 24. Zigzag through Galicia: From Brody via Zolochiv, Pidhirzhi and Rohatyn to Berezhani. On the way are spectacular monuments – but also very sad places.

Brody – Joseph Roth’s Gymnasium
Brody – Joseph Roth’s Gymnasium
Pidhirzhi
Pidhirzhi
Zolochiv
Zolochiv
Rohatyn – old cemetery
Rohatyn – old cemetery
Rohatyn – old cemetery
Rohatyn – new cemetery
Rohatyn – new cemetery

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From Lviv to Brody via Busk

Posted on by under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries

Our first day of travel on the roads of Galicia. We want to start things slowly. From Lviv to Brody is 80 kilometers. In between, we will make a stop in Busk. In both places we are mainly interested in the Jewish cemeteries.

Busk – Jewish cemetery
Busk – Jewish cemetery
Busk – Jewish cemetery
Busk – Jewish cemetery
Busk – Jewish cemetery
Busk – Jewish cemetery
Busk – Jewish cemetery
Brody – synagogue
Brody – Jewish cemetery
Brody – Jewish cemetery
Brody – Jewish cemetery

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Landscape after a Genocide

Posted on by under Eastern Galicia

Next to the village of Lysynychi – now a suburb of Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg) – tens of thousands of people were murdered by the SS and their helpers. No one knows how many. The numbers vary between 50,000 and 200,000. The victims were mainly Jews, but also members of the Polish resistance, Russian prisoners of war and thousands of Italian soldiers who were massacred by the Germans after the capitulation of Italy. Does something commemorate these crimes and their victims in the forest of Lysynychi? Today I was there.

Lysynychi – possible mass graves
Lysynychi – view down to the former camp
Lysynychi – asphalt factory
Lysynychi – small white flowers

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The Leather Suitcase

Posted on by under Northern Bukovina

This is a poem by Tom Berman, the great-grandson of Lazar Igel, the first Rabbi of the Czernowitz Temple. Tom died a few days ago in the Galapagos islands; it was a life-long dream of him to go there. Tom survived Nazi dictatorship over huge parts of Europe through the “Kindertransport” to England. His family was erased. The poem reflects this. Tom immigrated to Israel and became an internationaly known scientist. He survived the time of persecution by 68 years.

Tomb of Lazar Igel at Czernowitz Jewish cemetery

Tomb of Lazar Igel at Czernowitz Jewish cemetery

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