Krakow – No Sentimental Journey

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues, Western Galicia

In Krakow, my love to Eastern Europe and its Jewish heritage begun about 20 years ago. Since then I have been there again and again. Last weekend I was back in Krakow. Much has changed since my first visit. Krakow is now a city of mass tourism and it is also the Jewish past and present, which attracts visitors from all over the world.

Krakow – Old Jewish Cemetery

Krakow – wall painting in Isaac Synagogue

Krakow – Temple Synagogue

Krakow – shop sign of a hat maker

Krakow – New Jewish Cemetery

In Krakow, my love to Eastern Europe and its Jewish heritage begun about 20 years ago. Since then I have been there again and again. Last weekend I was back in Krakow. Much has changed since my first visit. Krakow is now a city of mass tourism and it is also the Jewish past, which attracts visitors from all over the world. https://vanishedworld.wordpress.com/2014/10/30/krakow-no-sentimental-journey/

Krakow – Beit Midrash (study house) in Kazimierz

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Uhniv, Buchach and Hrymailiv in black and white

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

The black and white films and scans from my recent trip to Ukraine are back from the photo lab. The synagogue and the Beit Midrash (House of Study) in Uhniv, the Jewish cemetery in Buchach and the imposing synagogue in Hrymailiv are among the subjects. Here is a first selection.

Uhniv – Synagogue and Beit Midrash (House of Study)

Buchach – Jewish cemetery

Hrymailiv – synagogue

A hidden prayer room

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Synagogues

In Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg) are the remains of the most famous and oldest synagogue in the territory of Ukraine, the “Golden Rose”. Of the approximately 70 synagogues in the city only two more have survived the German occupation, almost every guidebook mentions them. Virtually unknown, however, is a prayer room which is hidden in a basement.

Hidden prayer room in Lviv

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Back to Lviv

Posted on August 10, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Northern Bukovina, Synagogues

A day without great events. A last walk through Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) and then an eight hours bus ride with the marshrutka to Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg).

A forgotten blessing at the front door of a former synagogue

The synagogue with the forgotten blessing

The graffiti says “Glory to the Jews”.

My marshrutka

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How history vanishes

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Synagogues

The witnesses of Galicia’s multiethnic past are still there. But piece by piece they vanish. Many already don’t know about their meaning any more. When I was in Hrymailiv in February to change from one bus to another, I asked a few people for the location of the local synagogue. No one of them had ever heard of a synagogue in town. Today I was there.

Hrymailiv synagogue

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In the Borderland

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Synagogues

My destination today is called Uhniv, with just about 2,000 inhabitants, the smallest town with the status of a city in Ukraine. From Lviv (Lemberg, Lwow), there are rarely direct buses to Uhniv. I decide to go first to Rava Ruska and to change the bus there.

Uhniv – church ruin

Uhniv – local museum

Uhniv – synagogue and Beit Midrash

Uhniv

Uhniv – synagogue

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Belz and Burshtyn in Black and White

Posted on June 28, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

It was a short trip in early June to Galicia – only three days. But enough to explore Belz and Burshtyn and to take pictures. Today I received the scanned black-and-white films and made a first selection. Here are the results. I have not yet decided which shots I will add to the two photo exhibitions in September. What are your favorites?

Belz, Jewish cemetery

Burshtyn, Jewish cemetery

Belz synagogues

Behind the Flowered Hills

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

The ride from Lviv (Lemberg, Lwow) to Burshtyn is wonderful. On the Galician hills poppy florishes blood red, our marshrutka (mini bus) passes horse-drawn carts, cows stroll on the road and over all storks are circling – writing enigmatic signs in the sky. Burshtyn, that is in Yiddish and Ukrainian amber. Two synagogues and a Jewish cemetery are preserved.

Burshtyn – synagogue

Burshtyn – Jewish cemetery

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A Journey in Black and White

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Northern Bukovina, Podolia, Synagogues

My journey in February through Western Ukraine – through Galicia, Bukovina and Podolia – was another opportunity to take more photos for two exhibitions in autumn. Here is a first selection, including images from Lviv (Lemberg, Lwow), Sokal, Velyki Mosty, Zhovkva, Staryi Sambir, Ternopil, Sataniv and Chernivtsi (Czernowitz). What are your favorites?

Sokal, synagogue

Velyki Mosty, synagogue

Sokal, remains of the Jewish cemetery

Staryi Sambir, Jewish cemetery

Staryi Sambir, synagogue

Zhovkva, trace of a mezuzah

Lviv (Lemberg, Lwow), remains of the Jewish cemetery

Ternopil (Tarnopol), Jewish cemetery

Sataniv, Jewish cemetery

Chernivtsi (Czernowitz), Jewish cemetery

At the End of the Journey

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Synagogues

My last day in Ukraine. Again, this day fluctuates between past and present. I visit the last remaining functioning synagogue in Lviv (Lemberg, Lwow) and experience the grief of the people for those slained on Maidan.