Glubczyce Old Jewish Cemetery

Głubczyce was likely granted town rights in 1224. Jewish settlement in the town appeared most likely in the mid-14th century. Over the centuries, Jews were forced to leave the town several times. In 1818, the number of Jewish inhabitants was 62, in 1830 – 94, in 1850, the Jewish population increased to 300. In 1864, the building of a synagogue began. In 1890, the Jewish community in Głubczyce numbered 341 people, but in the following years the population began to decline – in 1910, it was only 174 people (1.3% of the town’s population). During the Night of Broken Glass (Kristallnacht), the synagogue was burned, Jewish shops and houses were plundered, and ten Jews were arrested. In 1939, 44 Jews lived in the town. In 1942, Głubczyce Jews were deported to ghettos in the General Government.

The old Jewish cemetery is located on Sobieskiego Street. It was established in 1814 in connection with the regulation ordering the establishment of cemeteries for the Jewish population near their places of residence. In 1868, an additional piece of land was purchased, and a fence was constructed. In 1939, the cemetery became the property of the Reich Association of Jews in Germany, and in 1943, it was taken over by the Gestapo and completely destroyed by the Germans. Fragments of matzevot were used as building material for the construction of the pavement on the wall surrounding the square at the municipal office. By the decision of the authorities, the necropolis area was transformed into a square in 1965. No remains of the former necropolis have survived to present day. The cemetery is located to the left of the entrance to the sports stadium, which is probably located in a part of the former cemetery. There is no type of commemoration of any kind.