Kirkut, Zabrze

Jewish cemetery in Zabrze - Jewish cemetery in Zabrze located on Cmentarna Street. The reason for establishing the cemetery in 1872 was the establishment of the Jewish community in Zabrze and difficulties in burying the dead, because the nearest Jewish cemeteries were located in Bytom and Gliwice. A plot of land for the cemetery was donated to the Jewish community by Prince Guidon Henckel von Donnersmarck. The majority of matters related to funeral ceremonies were taken care of by the Holy Brotherhood "Chevra Kadisha". The uniqueness of this cemetery results from the juxtaposition of humble matzevot with monumental family tombs, which should be considered a symbol of partial assimilation of the Jewish community with the Prussian one. The cemetery covers an area of about 2.2 ha.

Burials were held here from 1872 until 1954, at which time the burial of the dead in this cemetery ceased. Over 678 people were buried in 14 plots. There are about 500 matzevot left on the cemetery. The oldest tombstones are those of Moritz Adler and Johanna Friedmann, both of whom died in 1872.

In the past, the cemetery was unattended, which accelerated its devastation, and many marble and granite tombstones were stolen. Between 1991 and 1992 the cemetery was destroyed twice. Since 1989 the cemetery is taken care of by the Social Committee of Care over the Jewish Cemetery in Zabrze. It is interesting that there are 266 trees of 13 species on the cemetery.