The new metal fence now protects the cemetery from potential threats and stands as a lasting reminder that the memory of the town’s once-thriving Jewish community endures.
This fencing project was made possible with the help of our partners at Židia na Slovensku (Federation of Jewish Communities in Slovakia), particularly Henrich Stern, our national coordinator.
Jews were first recorded in Hliník nad Váhom in 1736. By 1828, the Jewish population had grown to 251 people, making up 39% of the town’s total population.
In the second half of the 19th century, the community was led by its native son Leopold Popper – one of the largest timber industrialists in Austria-Hungary, a public figure, and a philanthropist. For his contributions to agricultural development in the region, he was ennobled into the Hungarian nobility and granted the title of Freiherr (Baron) Leopold Popper von Podhragyi. His mausoleum (ohel) is preserved at the Jewish cemetery in Hliník nad Váhom.
By 1870, the community had reached its peak with 270 members. After World War I, the number of Jews declined to around 100, including residents of nearby villages. By 1940, only 20 Jews remained in Hliník nad Váhom. In June 1942, several were deported via Žilina to extermination camps in Poland. Around ten Jews remained, who likely perished later in the Shoah.