Jewish Heritage Europe

Poland: Mazel tov to 2019 POLIN award winner Natalia Bartczak and Special Award recipient Auschwitz Jewish Center

The POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews has granted its 2019 Polin award to Natalia Bartczak, who has cared for the Jewish cemetery in Wińsko, in western Poland, for 16 years — starting when she was just 13. … continue reading →

Poland: Renovation of 16th century Szydłów synagogue complete, building reopened as cultural center

The renovation of the historic fortresslike synagogue in Szydlów, Poland has been completed after a year and a half of restoration work, and the 16th-century building, one of the oldest preserved synagogues in Poland,  has been reopened as the town’s … continue reading →

Poland: Memorial park at site of destroyed Great Synagogue dedicated in Oświęcim, the town where the Nazis built Auschwitz

In Oświęcim, the town in southern Poland where the Nazis built the Auschwitz death camp, a memorial park has been opened on the site of the destroyed Great Synagogue to honor the town’s once-thriving pre-WW2 Jewish community. The Great Synagogue … continue reading →

Poland: News from Poznan – synagogue sold (apparently for hotel development); and city wants to rescue Jewish gravestones used to reinforce an artificial lake built by the Nazis

Recent Jewish heritage developments in the city of Poznan in western Poland have made headlines: the Jewish community is reported to have sold the former synagogue, apparently to a hotel developer, and the city wants to rescue Jewish gravestones that … continue reading →

Poland: restored Jewish cemetery and Holocaust memorial dedicated in Grybów — the second commemoration project spearhead by Polish Olympic athlete Dariusz Popiela

A second project spearheaded by the Polish Olympic athlete Dariusz Popiela has seen the restoration of a Jewish cemetery and placement of a memorial to its destroyed Jewish community. The memorial at the restored Jewish cemetery in Grybów, in southern … continue reading →