Kuchyna Jewish Cemetery
Cemetery Information
Historical overview
The establishment date of the Jewish cemetery in Kuchyňa is unknown. It is located behind the village next to the plague (cholera) cemetery, which was established in 1831. The cemetery used to be enclosed with a stone wall. There are remains of a small room in the southwest corner. The date of the last burial in the Jewish cemetery is also unknown.
Kuchyňa is a municipality, which was first mentioned in 1206 as Cuhnamezej. Some other names of the village include Kuhna and Kuchina. In addition to Slovaks, Jews and Germans have lived there. It is not known when exactly the first Jews settled in the village. Prior to World War II, there were several Jewish families in the village (both rich and poor). They made their living in agriculture and trade, owning a general store, butchery, and more.
Relations between the Jews and the rest of the population—who were mostly Catholic—were good, though it worsened following the establishment of the Slovak State as some members of the Hlinka’s Guard were hostile to the Jews. According to the 1942 census, 23 Jews lived in the village at the time. During World War II, Jewish property, such as houses and shops, were confiscated, and most of the Jews were deported to concentration camps. Some Jews fought in the Slovak National Uprising, where some of them died. After the war, a few Jews returned to Kuchyňa, though they all soon left and most went to Israel.