Korycin Jewish Cemetery

The Jewish cemetery in Korycin is located about 1.1 km southwest of the market square in Korycin, and about 300 metres east of the provincial road No. 671. It is located on flat ground, surrounded by arable fields, and covers a rectangular plot with an area of approximately 0.9 hectares. The cemetery’s establishment date is unknown. During World War II, by order of the German authorities, some tombstones were used to pave the roads. The cemetery fell into further disrepair in the post-war years. In the 1983 cemetery records, in the “User comments” section, the following is written: “Carrying out renovation works is not recommended. For economic reasons it is proposed to use the area as a pasture for cattle.” In 2016, the ESJF European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative fenced the cemetery. There are only single tombstones in the cemetery in a various preserved states, mostly in the form of stelae made of granite erratic boulders. The area is overgrown with wild vegetation (such as shrubs and deciduous trees) which significantly impedes access to the cemetery. The cemetery is fenced with a wall made of prefabricated concrete elements. There is no form of commemoration. The owner of the cemetery is the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage. The facility is listed in the Municipal and Provincial Register of Monuments.

The first Jews settled in Korycin at the beginning of the 17th century. In 1722, the town was supposed to be inhabited by “Jews only.” In 1800, 127 Jews lived in Korycin (80% of the total population), and 265 in 1921 (43.9%). After September 17, 1939, the number of Jews in Korycin increased to about 1,000. On November 2, 1942, the Germans deported the Jews of Korycin via Suchowola to Kiełbasin, and then murdered them in KL Auschwitz-Birkenau.