Staszow Old Jewish Cemetery

The old Jewish cemetery in Staszów was established at the beginning of the 18th century following a privilege issued to the Jewish community in 1718. It was located at the end of Bożnicza Street and was in use for less than a hundred years. It was closed in 1819 for sanitary reasons. The cemetery was devastated during World War II. In the post-war period, the cemetery area was built over and a kindergarten playground was established in its place. Currently, the area is fenced, and is covered with trees and vegetation. No tombstones have survived.

Staszów was granted town rights in 1525. Jews were first recorded in the town as early as 1578. However, following accusations of ritual murder (blood libel), the emerging Jewish community was expelled from the town in 1610. Jews only began to resettle in Staszów at the end of the 17th century. In 1718, the owner of the town, Elżbieta Szaniawska, issued a privilege which allowed Jews to settle, trade freely, and establish their synagogue and cemetery. This privilege was confirmed in 1772. In 1765, 607 Jews lived in the town. In 1865, the community grew to 3,947 people (64.2% of the total population). The town was a major centre of Hasidism and two yeshivas operated there in the interwar period. During World War II, 8,000–9,000 Jews were gathered in the ghetto. In November 1942, most of them were transported to the death camp in Bełżec, and some were shot on the spot. The rest was taken to Treblinka between 1942 and 1943.