Goldap Old Jewish Cemetery
Cemetery Information
Country
Poland
Region
Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship
District
Gołdap
Settlement
Gołdap
Site address
Cmentarna Street, between private properties at 1 Cmentarna Street and 5 Cmentarna Street.
GPS coordinates
54.313668, 22.297291
Perimeter length
96 metres
Is the cemetery demolished
no
Type and height of existing fence
The north and east borders are fenced by metal railing (height about 1.5 m); the south and west borders are fenced by concrete wall (height about 2 meters). The wall is painted in dark yellow.
Preservation condition
Fenced and protected Jewish cemetery
General site condition
Fenced and protected cemetery with many tombstones. Athe area is well-kept, very clean. There is an information board by the main cemetery gate. Some old trees have been preserved in the territory.
Number of existing gravestones
35 graves have been found including 23 matzevot in different conditions (from well preserved to fragments of steles).
Date of oldest tombstone
1860
Date of newest tombstone
1912
Urgency of erecting a fence
Fence is not needed
Land ownership
Municipality
Preserved construction on site
No
Drone surveys
Yes
Historical overview
Despite the damage in November 1938, the relics of the cemeteries are still quite visible. The "old cemetery" is particularly well kept, with 11 in good condition, 8 matzevot - partially preserved, fragments of another 4 matzevot, 3 tombs with matzevot bases and about 9 matzevot bases. Including tombstones associated with the Lehmann families - here a particularly interesting tombstone of Julius Lehmann (1843–1880) in the form of a slender column, the Levins, Rosettensteins, Silbersteins and Süsskinds. The oldest preserved matzevah comes from 1860, the youngest is located above the grave of Max Süsskind (Hebrew: Mordechaj son of Cwi), who died on August 12, 1907. Some of the tombstones have rich decorations consisting of images of grapevines and bunches of grapes, oak leaves, twigs and acorns.
In 1989, the cemetery was tidied up on the initiative of the city authorities, and since 1995 it has been listed in the register of monuments (no. A-1026 / S). In 2001, it was renovated, as indicated by a commemorative plaque with the Star of David at the entrance: "JEWISH CEMETERY / RENEWED IN 2001 / BY / - SELF-GOVERNMENT OF GOŁDAP / - PARTNERSHIP / SHMUEL GIVAT IN ISRAEL / - FAMILY FOUNDATION". In 2008, as part of the "To Bring Memory Back" educational program, implemented by the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland, students of the Special Educational and Educational Center took care of the necropolis.
(“Żydowskie domy modlitwy oraz cmentarze na Warmii i Mazurach – stan obecny” book by Seweryn Szczepański, 2017; doi.org/10.26774/rzz.165)
