Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery

Cemetery Information

Country
Poland
Region
Silesian Voivodeship
District
Sosnowiec
Settlement
Sosnowiec
Site address
Opposite 1, Gospodarcza Street. Entrance to the cemetery area is across the road from a building goods store at 1, Gospodarcza Street.
GPS coordinates
50.285059, 19.116256
Perimeter length
470 meters
Is the cemetery demolished
no
Type and height of existing fence
The cemetery has a masonry wall of two meters in height with brick posts. From the northern side of the cemetery, that which adjoins the Catholic cemetery, the wall is four meters high and made of stone and brick.
Preservation condition
Fenced and protected Jewish cemetery
General site condition
The Jewish cemetery of Sosnowiec is situated in the old part of the town and adjoins a Catholic cemetery from the north. The area is well-maintained and functions as an active Jewish cemetery. Tombstones have been preserved, along with an ohel, original wall and beit tahara building.
Number of existing gravestones
About 500 tombstones, among which are many post-war tombstones. Along with intact tombstones in situ there are some dozens of tombstone fragments placed vertically by the interior side of the cemetery wall. Some tombstones are stocked in piles inside the cemetery area.
Date of oldest tombstone
1872
Date of newest tombstone
2021
Urgency of erecting a fence
Fence is not needed
Land ownership
Other
Preserved construction on site
There is a brick ohel of local rabbi Abraham Meir Gittler (died 1925) and a presumed foundation of an ohel with two standing tombstones: one of Dawid Pardes and the other of Abraham Elimelech Jechezchiel Aharon Kohen, son of a rabbi from Zawiercie. Renovation of the latter site was carried out by Ohalei Zaddikim in 2010. There is also a beit tahara building on the left side from the entrance.
Drone surveys
Yes

Historical overview

The development of the Jewish settlement in Sosnowiec dates back to the mid-19th century. In 1915, Modrzejów (adjacent to Sosnowiec), where Jews lived since the mid-17th century, was incorporated into the town. In 1938, the Jewish community of Sosnowiec numbered 28,893 people.

The cemetery was established in the last decade of the 19th century on the site of an epidemic cemetery. In 1910, its area was expanded. Currently, it is located on a rectangular parcel of land with the approximate dimensions 60 × 175 m, with an entrance from Gospodarcza Street.

During World War II, victims of German repression were buried in the cemetery, including those who were shot in September 1939.

After 1945, the cemetery was used by the Jewish Religious Association, then by the Congregation of the Mosaic Faith in Sosnowiec, and by the Religious Union of the Mosaic Faith in Katowice. Currently, it is used by the Jewish Community in Katowice.

The cemetery has undergone extensive destruction. Most of the tombstones were taken away from the cemetery, moved from the original place of burial, or damaged. There are around 350 tombstones in varying conditions. The oldest identified tombstone is dated 1883. The newest is from 2006. At the entrance, there is a funeral home currently inhabited by a caretaker. The cemetery site is walled.

The most famous people buried in this cemetery are:
Awraham Meir Gitler (died 1925) — a rabbi in Pińczów and Sosnowiec,
Adolf Oppenheim (died 1899) — a founder of the Trade and Expeditionary House and the Chemical Factory “Radocha”, responsible for the construction of the cemetery fence,
Henryk Reicher (died 1934) — a founder of the H. Reicher i Co. Trade and Expeditionary House.

The cemetery remains in operation. It is the property of the Jewish Community in Katowice, which takes care of cleaning works there and employs a caretaker. The cemetery is listed in the Provincial Register of Monuments. It is not entered in the Register of Real Estate Monuments. The list of preserved tombstones is available at: https://sztetl.org.pl/pl/miejscowosci/s/451-sosnowiec/115-pamiec-w-kamieniu/33328-cięcz-zydowski-w-sosnowcu-ul-gospodarcza .

Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery
Sosnowiec Jewish Cemetery