The Jewish Cemetery, dating back to 1784, is a somber reminder of the vibrant Jewish community that once thrived here, contrasting starkly with the atrocities of the Holocaust.
The cemetery holds the memories of generations who lived in Oświęcim before the Holocaust, making it an essential visit to experience a deeper understanding of the area’s history.
The cemetery functioned until March/April 1941, when the Jews of Oświęcim were forcibly deported to ghettos in Będzin, Sosnowiec, and Chrzanów.
By July, it was closed by the German occupation and was almost completely destroyed and desecrated. Historic tombstones (Hebrew: matzevot) were used as building materials or thrown into the Soła River. About 1,000 tombstones with Hebrew, German, Polish, and Yiddish inscriptions have survived.
This project incorporates fragments of recovered tombstones into the bunker’s walls and features an educational path that explains grave symbols and provides a map to locate historic matzevot.
Today, the Jewish Cemetery of Oświęcim (Auschwitz) is a vital site for our educational programs, attracting dedicated volunteers committed to preserving the town’s rich past. By maintaining this historic site, we commit to teaching future generations the importance of remembrance and the tragic impact of hatred and discrimination.
