Lagow Jewish Cemetery
Cemetery Information
Historical overview
From the 11th to the 14th century, Łagów was associated with the Wrocław bishopric. Jewish settlement began to develop in the 1880’s although, until the mid-19th century, there was a formal ban on the permanent settlement of Jews in the town. In 1827, 60 Jews lived in the town, constituting 4.5% of the total population. In 1921, the number of Jews increased to 1,269, constituting 50.2% of the total population. In 1937, 1,600 people belonged to the Jewish community. The German occupation began on September 7, 1939 and Łagów was almost completely destroyed. The Jewish cemetery was also seriously damaged. In 1941–1942, Jews from other cities, including Vienna and Radom, were transported to the Łagów Ghetto. In the fall of 1942, they were deported to Treblinka. Old men and children were murdered on the spot.
The cemetery was established in 1867 when the Jews from Łagów were trying to create an independent synagogue supervision. It is located west of the town, between the National Road E-74 and a dirt road leading to Zaręby. In the 1960’s, the trapezoidal area of the cemetery (about 0.5 hectares) was covered with poplar trees. The last known burial took place in 1942. During and after World War II the cemetery fell into ruin and it was closed in 1964. No tombstones have survived.
