Myszyniec Jewish Cemetery
Cemetery Information
Historical overview
The first records of Jews in Myszyniec date from the second half of the 18th century, though Jewish settlement only significantly developed in the following century. 364 Jews lived in the town in 1827, 727 in 1857, and 912 in 1921 (48% of the entire population). In 1939, the Germans deported all the Jews from Myszyniec. Some of them got to USSR-occupied territories, while some ended up in other cities. Most of those who remained in German-occupied territory were exterminated in the following years. The cemetery is located about 1.1 km northwest of the town centre, on the eastern side of Most Kopański Street.
The cemetery was established around 1850. The first mention of its existence dates to October 31, 1855: “The Jews of Myszyniec […], at their expense erected a synagogue, a study hall and a bathhouse in the place, and established a cemetery.” Earlier, the Jews of Myszyniec were buried in Ostrołęka. Before 1939, the cemetery was enclosed with a wooden fence, and there was a two-room wooden building at the entrance with the caretaker’s apartment and—probably—a room for the ritual cleaning of the body before burial.
The cemetery suffered significant damage during World War II and continued to degrade further in the following decades. The cemetery has since become a sand mine. When the sand was extracted, graves were destroyed, and bones were scattered. The graves were dug up by locals searching for gold teeth and valuables. An electric line also runs through the cemetery. As a result of this destruction, there are no traces of the cemetery.
The area is covered with deciduous forest. In 2016, at the initiative of Aharon Shachal, the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland erected a rock block monument with a plaque depicting the Star of David and displaying the following the inscription: “The Jewish cemetery. The monument commemorates the Jewish inhabitants of Myszyniec, who were expelled from their homes during World War II. May their memory be a blessing.” The owner of the cemetery is the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage. The facility is listed in the Provincial Register of Monuments.