From Ivano-Frankivsk to Lviv

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

May 25 was the last day of our 12-day journey through Galicia, Bukovina and Bessarabia in Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Our itinerary took us on the way back to Lviv to Tysmenytsia, Halych, Burshtyn, Rohatyn and Bibrka.

Ivano-Frankivsk – kloyz and court of Rebbe Haim Leifer from Nadvirna

Ivano-Frankivsk – Jewish cemetery

Halych – Karaite cemetery

Burshtyn – synagogue and beit midrash

Burshtyn – Jewish cemetery

Rohatyn – eastern mass grave site

Rohatyn – Heike reading out

Rohatyn – the group listening

Continue reading →

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

Continue reading →

It’s all gone, it’s still there

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

Galicia and Bukovina are covered with partially or totally destroyed Jewish cemeteries. The grave stones were abused as building material during the German occupation and the years of Soviet rule. However, history does not just disappear. During construction works fragments of Jewish grave stones come to light. These stones raise questions – first of all the question of how we want to deal with the past.

Lviv – fragments of Jewish grave stones, April 2013

Lviv – fragments of Jewish grave stones, October 2012

Lviv – fragments of Jewish grave stones, misused as cobblestones, October 2012

Ivano-Frankivsk – fragments of Jewish grave stones, May 2013

Rohatyn – fragments of Jewish grave stones, April 2013

Ivano-Frankivsk – fragments of Jewish grave stones, May 2013

Rohatyn – fragments of Jewish grave stones, April 2013

Continue reading →

Galicia and Bukovina in Black and White (2)

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Northern Bukovina, Synagogues

Here it is, the second half of the selection of black and white photos from the trip through Galicia and Bukovina in April and May 2013. The journey finally comes to an end and something new starts.

Ivano-Frankivsk – Jewish cemetery

Kalush – Jewish cemetery

Kuty – Jewish cemetery

Lysynychi – mass grave site

Nadvirna – Jewish cemetery

Pidhaitsi – synagogue

Pidhaitsi – Jewish cemetery

Rohatyn – old Jewish cemetery

Rohatyn – new Jewish cemetery

Continue reading →

From Brody to Berezhani

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Christian Herrmann 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

Pidhirzhi

Zolochiv

Rohatyn – old cemetery

Rohatyn – new cemetery

Continue reading →

We owe it to our history to take active responsibility

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia

Marla Raucher Osborn’s family originates from Rohatyn, a small town in Eastern Galicia. Since years she researches her family’s history. Is there something we can learn from it? Yes, says Marla, there is a bigger picture and a responsibility for remembrance and preservation. Marla has an audience for this message – in Ukraine, at Facebook, in the world. An interview with an impressive activist.