Dzierzgoń Jewish Cemetery

According to Leszek Sarnowski, the cemetery was established in 1774 and during its first decades, it served as a burial place also for Jewish communities from Elbląg, Kwidzyn, Malbork and Sztum. The burials were carried out in rows.
In 1961, the Ministry of Municipal Economy issued a decision to close the cemetery (UZ-c/II/72/61).
In the document, “Information on Jewish cemeteries in Poland”, prepared in 1981 by the Office for Religious Affairs, an area of ​​0.17 ha was given for the cemetery in Dzierzgoń, and the State Treasury was indicated as the owner. The description stated: “The area is fenced, partly with a wall and partly with a hedge. On a quarter of the area, there are heavily damaged tombstones.” The last burial in 1931 was mentioned in the “Notes” column.
The cemetery underwent extensive destruction. On its surface, one can distinguish about 130 grave brickworks. Only four stelae can be considered well preserved and standing in situ. The remaining tombstones are preserved to a different degree and are displaced relative to the actual burial place.
The oldest tombstones have inscriptions in Hebrew, the remaining ones – in Hebrew and German, most often placed on both sides of the stele.
The cemetery is surrounded by a wall about 1m high, made of granite field stones, topped with a red brick gable roof. There is no gate and entrance is possible through a breach in the wall on the eastern side. Along the fence, on its inner side, a row of lime trees was planted.
In 1988, the cemetery was entered into the provincial register of monuments (entry 48/78 of August 15, 1988). Currently, students of the John Paul II Junior High School in Dzierzgoń are taking care of the site, performing basic cleaning works. Leszek Sarnowski, a historian and president of the Regional Investment Society, is also involved in the care of the cemetery. Despite considerable damage, the site is one of the best-preserved Jewish cemeteries in the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
(K. Bielawski, cmentarze-zydowskie.pl)