Kuznica Jewish Cemetery

The Jewish cemetery in Kuźnica is located about 300 metres from the town centre, on a hill between national road No. 19, Kopernika Street, and Jagiellońska Street. The cemetery’s establishment date is unknown, though it was possibly established between the 17th and 18th centuries when the independent Jewish community in Kuźnica was formed. The cemetery fell into disrepair during and after World War II. The area was used as a pasture and as a gravel mine. A power line was built through the cemetery. The list of cemeteries prepared by the Office for Religious Affairs in 1981 stated the following: “There is no fence. Tombstones are overturned. The whole area is covered with self-seeded plants.” The documentation also mentioned the area of the cemetery (1.1 hectares) and the date of the last burial (1945). In 1994, the road from Grodno to Białystok was built through the eastern part of the cemetery.

Currently, there are single, destroyed tombstones in the cemetery, including two in the form of inscription board covers. The oldest identified tombstone is dated 1900. In the central part of the cemetery, there is a modern monument in the form of a granite boulder without inscriptions. The boundaries of the cemetery are imperceptible. A part that covers an area of 7,798 square meters is surrounded by a fence made of iron spans, about 1 metre high, decorated with a menorah motif, and built between 1989 and 1996. The area is covered with grass and mixed trees. Due to its proximity to the border crossing, the cemetery is at risk for littering and further devastation. The cemetery is listed in the Municipal and Provincial Register of Monuments and in the Register of Immovable Monuments of the Podlaskie Voivodeship.

The first records of Jews in Kuźnica come from the 16th century. In 1921, 450 Jews lived in the town (42% of the population), most of whom were murdered during World War II.