A last Excursion

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Northern Bukovina, Synagogues

When I asked Mykola Kushnir, the director of the Jewish Museum in Chernivtsi (Czernowitz), how I could see the wall paintings in the former synagogue of Novoselitsa, he invited me spontaneously to go there with him today. A really nice and generous offer – especially as Mykola has the key to the synagogue. Thanks, Mykola, for this wonderful excursion – the last on this journey!

Novoselitsa – synagogue

Novoselitsa – Jewish cemetery

Czernowitz – ceremony for a man killed on Maidan

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A first trip to Podolia

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Jewish Cemeteries, Podolia, Synagogues

Writing is difficult for me today. More than 20 people have been killed in Kiev yesterday, the special police forces continue to besiege Maidan, the center of protests. It is impossible to ignore. Unfortunately I can not do more than express my solidarity with the brave Ukrainians, who are fighting against a corrupt and criminal government, and to report on what I see and experience. That’s why I hold on to my travel plans. Today I was in Sataniv.

My marshrutka to Sataniv

Sataniv – synagogue

Sataniv – Jewish cemetery

Ternopil – local Maidan

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North of Lviv

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Synagogues

A long day trip through Galicia – north of Lviv (Lemberg, Lwow) – to the towns of Sokal, Velyki Mosty and Zhovkva. Bright sunshine, the winter is coming to an end. We pass a down going industrial landscape, traces of the past and the dawn of a new, still undetermined Ukraine.

Sokal synagogue

Sokal – guards in front of an occupied public building

Sokal – older ladies in front of an occupied public building

Sokal – remains of Jewish headstones

Velyki Mosty – synagogue

Zhovkva – traces of a mezuzah at the market square

Zhovkva – remains of the Jewish cemetery

Zhovkva synagogue

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Recently discovered Wall Paintings in the “Groisse Shil” of Czernowitz

Posted on August 12, 2013 by Christian Herrmann under Northern Bukovina, Synagogues

With my friends Sabine and Ingo I am walking through the old Jewish quarter of Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) today. One of the most important cultural monuments there is the “Groisse Shil”, a synagogue dating from the mid 19th Century. The building is now used as a carpenter’s workshop. Although the original purpose of the building is hardly to imagine from inside, fragments of the original ceiling paintings are still visible. I want to show them to my friends. What we discover is incredible: Recently uncovered wall paintings with motifs from the bible.

Czernowitz – Groisse Shil – wall paintings

Czernowitz – Groisse Shil

Czernowitz – Groisse Shil – wall paintings

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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

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Journey through Galicia and Bukovina in May and April 2013 – Some Thoughts

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Northern Bukovina, Synagogues

Two weeks I traveled with my friends Petra and Achim through Eastern Galicia and Northern Bukovina. It was a very intense and emotional journey to the heritage of a vanished Jewish world. We visited 27 towns and villages, many spots made a deep impression. With some distance I would like to summarize some experiences and reflect them. What did we see? Who commemorates what and how? And I want to thank all those people who enabled the journey in many different ways and observed it with passion.

Conservation problems at the well maintained cemetery of Busk

Conservation works in Brody

Destructions in Rohatyn

Destructions in Berezhani

Remains of the residence of the Sadagora Rebbe

Well maintained cemetery in Vyzhnytsia

Destructions and renewal works in Kuty

Destructions in Ivano-Frankivsk

Well maintained cemetery in Kalush

Remains of the synagogue in Bolekhiv

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Closing the Circle: From Stryi to Lviv via Drohobych

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Synagogues

May 4. A last day on the streets of Galicia. We visit the old synagogue of Stryi. But above all, we are in the footsteps of Polish-Jewish writer Bruno Schulz in Drohobych. Then we return to Lviv. Our trip is close to its end.

Stryi – Great Synagogue

Drohobych

Drohobych – plaque for Bruno Schulz

Drohobych – Bruno Schulz’ house

Drohobych – Villa Landau

Drohobych – ghetto memorial

Drohobych – Great Synagogue

Drohobych – synagogue

Drohobych – Austro-Hungarian canalization

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From Ivano-Frankivsk to Stryi

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

May 3. From Ivano-Frankivsk our travel route continues north. Halych, Kalush and Bolekhiv are on our way. No place will leave us untouched.

Ivano-Frankivsk – Temple Synagogue and Jewish hotel

Ivano-Frankivsk – Temple Synagogue

Ivano-Frankivsk – Jewish cemetery

Ivano-Frankivsk – Jewish cemetery

Halych – Karaite cemetery

Kalush – Jewish cemetery

Bolechiv – synagogue

Bolechiv – Jewish cemetery

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From Kolomiya to Ivano-Frankivsk

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Christian Herrmann under Eastern Galicia, Jewish Cemeteries, Synagogues

May 2. We drive from Kolomiya to Ivano-Frankivsk (Stanisławów, Stanislau), the largest city between Chernivtsi (Czernowitz) and Lviv (Lwow, Lemberg). On the way we plan to stop in Nadvirna, Solotvyn and Lysech. It will be an eventful day with changing emotions, pleasant and unpleasant experiences.

Nadvirna – Jewish cemetery

Solotvyn – former Polish church

Solotvyn – former German church

Solotvyn – Holocaust memorial

Solotvyn – former Synagogue

Solotvyn – Jewish cemetery

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The Lost Synagogues of Chernivtsi – A Correction

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Christian Herrmann 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.