A Jewish genealogist is attempting to restore the large Jewish cemetery in Košice, in eastern Slovakia, by rescuing and restoring fallen and broken headstones, one by one.
Peter Absolon, who runs the Kosice-based Slovakia Jewish Genealogy Services, states that his goal is “to repair and restore all the broken and neglected tombstones in the Židovský Cintorín Košice Jewish Cemetery, “ working with the cemetery’s caretakers and a local stonemason.
“Thanks to good relationship with the stonemason we keep the costs to the minimum so we can fix the stones for a very good price of around 70€ per stone (if not very damaged),” he told JHE.
Work is progressing, he said, thanks to a “very generous donation in honor of the Szepessi family murdered in the Shoah.”
To date, the project has restored more than 30 gravestones, some of which had fallen or been toppled and lay facedown or covered in vegetation; some of which were broken. The fallen stones have been raised and placed upright, some of them on new bases. He expects to be able to restore an additional 40-50.
Photos of each stone — some with “before and after” images — are posted on the group’s Facebook page.
Košice, the capital of eastern Slovakia, has two Jewish cemeteries.
The New Jewish Cemetery (where the restoration work in going on) was opened in 1889 as part of the big municipal cemetery on Rastislavova street. It is a vast expanse that is one of the biggest Jewish cemeteries in Slovakia and is still used by the local Jewish community. It includes both an Orthodox and a Neolog section and has a Holocaust memorial formed by the star of David that once topped the huge dome of the town’s Neolog synagogue, which is now used as a concert hall.
(The photos appear to indicate that most of the restoration is being carried out in the Orthodox section.)
The Orthodox section suffered a vandal attack that damaged around 55 stones in 2012, 10 years after an attack that damaged 135 stones. (The Jewish community has installed a camera security system).
There is also an Old Jewish Cemetery, on Tatranska street, that was formally closed in 1904 and has only a few gravestones that remain standing. It was established in about 1844 and functioned until the Jewish section of the new municipal cemetery was opened in 1889.
Slovakia Jewish Genealogy Services FB Page
11 comments on “Slovakia: Jewish genealogist attempts to restore vast Jewish cemetery in Košice, stone by stone”
Peter:
I am the grandson of Louis and Gizella Link.
They had two daughters, Alice and Violet. Alice was my mother
No one ever mentioned a third daughter named Mabel who would have been born after Alice and Violet.
Louis and Gizella were never divorced.
Where did you find information about someone named Mabel…who is not related?
Nevím, zda se tato moje zpráva dostane panu Petrovi Absolonovi z Košic,který zadal údaje na GENI o architektu Oskaru Singerovi. Mladý prostějovský historik Mgr, Filip Gregor nalezl a prokázal poslední realizaci jeho návrhu před jeho emigrací v Prostějově; a ve vzduchu visí ještě jistá funerální drobnost lidí ze stejného domu a ze stejné doby. Mohl byste se mi ozvat – hledáme cokoliv více o něm ?!
Hello Peter, I have noticed your name popping up on Geni pages in connection with the Schustek family. I am Adolf Schustek’s grandson, living in the UK, and wonder whether I might have some family connections with you? Adolf was born near Zilina, then moved to Nagyvárad in what was Hungary then and sadly, he was deported from there to Auschwitz.
Let me know if you think we have some family connections.
Kind regards, Ferenc
Hi Peter. We would love to speak with you in regards to tracking down our Mother-in-laws long lost sister. She is from the Basch family in Hungary. How could we discuss this with you. Many thanks. Jonathan.
Members of the family are doing genealogical research. In the course of this we at last located the graves of two of my great-grand parents, which are at II.3.18 (Avraham Zvi (Hermann) Schwarcz) and II.4.18 (his wife Rézl Schwarcz) in the Košice cemetery. Hermann’s grave looks as if restored (by your efforts?) but Rézl’s is broken, with the damaged section lying flat on the grave. Any chance of doing something with it, please? How do we best go about it? And thank you for what you are doing.
I am sure that some of my many relatives are buried in this cemetery in Kosice my great grandfather jozef cziglar, moved to kosice from grybow galicia around ww1 .He changed his last name to my great grandmothers Kleinman. My mothers family waldman immigrated from the w ukraine to kosice possibly at ww 1 as well. My parents both spoke hungarian an slovak they were george kleinman born 1922 in kosice and esther or kornelia waldman 1928 kosice . I was born in Kosice nov 1 1947, Any info would be appreciated
My cousin sent me some information about her grandparents. The names were Ella Tolnai and Luigi Tolnai. Her father was Janos Tolnai. You are listed as manager. I am the great granddaughter of Simon Tolnai and Vilma Rauschenberg Tolnai from Budapest Hungary. My cousin and I are doing a lot of genealogical research and was wondering if you have any other info on Tolnai family members. In particular we’re trying to locate a Georgina Tolnai and her son Peter Tolnai. Thank you in advance for any help you can give us.
Hi… I’m in touch with Roberta, please talk to her
PETER DEAR – YOU ARE A MOST OUTSTANDING GENEALOGIST. YOUR WORK HAS OPENED THE DOORS TO SO MUCH INFORMATION THAT NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT YOU. YOU HAVE MADE FAMILIES COME ALIVE. THERE IS NO WAY TO THANK YOU ENOUGH. YOU HAVE CONTRIBUTED LIFE TO SO MANY PEOPLE . I AM ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL. I RAVE ABOUT YOU TO EVERYONE. WHAT’S EVEN MORE FUN IS YOUR FINDING HOW WE ARE RELATED. I AM SOOOOOOO PROUD OF YOU. YOU ARE A DEAR AND VERY SPECIAL.
Peter, you are doing a miraculous job. Your dedication and commitment to keeping our heritage alive (in so many more ways than just the Cemetary project) is much more than a mitzvah. Thank you for all you do and the help you give. Someday, I hope to have that beer with you.
Thank you to Peter for this and other excellent work you have been doing.