Jewish Cemeteries in Slovakia

693 identified Jewish cemeteries have been preserved in Slovakia. Unfortunately, many of them have been desecrated and vandalized. Tombstones have often been stolen by unscrupulous people, and the peace of the dead has been disturbed by vandals who have succumbed to naive stories about treasures buried in Jewish graves. Cemeteries are located in all regions of Slovakia, even in some remote places, thus serving as stone witnesses of former Jewish settlement in small mountain villages. Each cemetery is different: some contain wealthy tombs of prominent citizens, while others feature simple matzevot of rural Jews. Important and still not researched cemeteries are spread across north-eastern Slovakia, once dominated by the Hassidism, with many interesting folkloric decorative elements that slowly disappear with every new rain. An undisclosed number of cemetery chapels has been preserved.

A remnant of a Jewish cemetery is located at the Christian cemetery of Bratislava´s city district - Rača. The cemetery gradually vanished since World War II, when this 20 x 35m large area with gravestones with Hebrew and German inscriptions, was fenced. After several episodes of vandalism, only two gravestones survived to this day, paled by an iron fence and decorated with a Star of David. It is located in the western part of the Christian cemetery, close to the main entrance from Žitná Street. Bratislava's cemetery

In Nitra, both orthodox and reform Jewish cemeteries can be found, situated in the same site on the hill near. This complex represents one if the best preserved cemeteries in Slovakia with about 5000 graves. On this 120x80m large area, monumental tombstones from marble and granite with inscriptions in Hebrew, German, Hungarian and Slovak can be found. Originally, the cemeteries were separated from each other by a brick wall, which was ruined during World War II, when the Orthodox cemetery served as a strategic base for German soldiers fighting against the progressing Soviet army. Here one can find simple sandstone gravestones dating back to the 17th century and impressive marble 20th century tombstones as well. Some of the older gravestones are decorated with remarkable motives, e.g. view of the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The cemetery chapel stands near the entrance to the orthodox cemetery. The Holocaust memorial was erected nearby. A children section is located in north- western part of the cemetery. Nitra's cemetery

East of Trnava, near the protestant and former military cemeteries, the third Jewish cemetery is located. This 130 x 80m large area was used since 1879 by orthodox and status quo communities and therefore more then 1000 graves can be found here. Trnava's cemetery The oldest ones are grouped in the north-eastern part. Richly decorated children graves stand behind the former cemetery chapel, which is now partially used for residential purposes. Many gravestones are decorated with pictorial motives like the blessing hands of Kohanim, Levi’s jar, the Shield of David, weeping willow, candlestick and styled floral motifs. Inscriptions are in Hebrew complemented with German or Slovak ones.

There were two Jewish cemeteries in the Šala city district called Veča. The older one vanished, but the other one which is situated near the river Váh remains one of the last proofs of the lost Jewish presence in this region. On cemetery area cca 60 x 45m large around 250 gravestones can be found. The oldest known gravestone dates back to the year Gravestones were made from sandstone, granite, white, pink or red marble and decorated with symbols of the Shield of David, Levi’s jar, palm tree and inscriptions in Hebrew, German and Hungarian. The cemetery doesn’t serve its original purpose any more, but it remains a dignified place of the commemoration, thanks to current maintenance by the local civil association Maceva ( Šala's cemetery

Made by Ivana Pavlovičová