A missing Center at the Golden Creek

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

It was the wish of my friend Arthur to go to Horodenka and Zolotyi Potik (Golden Creek) – small towns in Galicia, from which his ancestors came to Chernivtsi (Czernowitz). Today we have been there; a long day trip through the beauty of the Galician summer. An ocean of flowers over which the storks circle. With us was Maxym, a local photographer and journalist, who maneuvered his car bravely around the potholes.

Horodenka Synagogue

Horodenka Jewish Cemetery

Zolotyi Potik – Potocki Castle

Zolotyi Potik Jewish cemetery

Zolotyi Potik – former Jewish quarter, now a park

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Voices from the past

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

Yesterday, my friend Silke drew my attention to a sound installation that was designed by students of Chernivtsi University in the former Synagogengasse (Synagogue Alley, now Anri Barbyusa Street) of Chernivtsi (Czernowitz). It brought voices of the past into the present of the city. Today, the volunteers of Action Reconciliation and SVIT Ukraine have begun their work in the Jewish cemetery.

Sound installation in Anri Barbyusa Street

The volunteers of SVIT Ukraine and Action Reconciliation

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From Chernivtsi to Chernivtsi

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Podolia

Chernivtsi exists twice in Ukraine: in Podolia and Bukovina. There is the mundane Bukovinian provincial capital and the traditional Podolian town. Both are worth to visit.

Mohyliv-Podilskyi – synagogue

Mohyliv-Podilskyi – market

Mohyliv-Podilskyi – Jewish cemetery

Sylvia de Swaan

Mohyliv-Podilskyi – Jewish cemetery

Chernivtsi (Podolia) – Jewish cemetery

Chernivtsi (Podolia) – abandoned house

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In Transnistria

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Podolia, Synagogues

Transnistria was a Romanian deportation zone for Jews and Gypsies during the war. Thousands died of typhus, inhuman working conditions, of hunger or were shot. My fellow traveler Sylvia was here more than 70 years ago when she was a little girl. Today we explored some places in Transnistria – now part of Podolia in Ukraine.

Nemiriv – mass grave

Bratslav synagogue

Bratslav Jewish cemetery

Tulchyn Jewish cemetery

Tulchyn – former ghetto

Cariera de Piatra

Mykhailivka – site of former concentration camp

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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.