Jewish cemetery in Żarki, Jewish cemetery from 1821 in Żarki, Poland
The Jewish cemetery in Żarki is a roughly 1.5 hectare site in the northwestern part of town containing over 700 preserved gravestones and obelisks with detailed ornamental surfaces. The graves are arranged closely together, displaying various styles that developed over several decades.
The cemetery was founded in 1821 and served the Jewish community as a burial ground for over a century. In 1942, during the liquidation of the local ghetto, German forces occupied the grounds where approximately 300 residents of the community lost their lives.
The gravestones display Hebrew and Polish inscriptions alongside rare symbols such as twelve-pointed stars and candelabrum designs with gryphon head motifs. These ornamental choices reflect the craftsmanship and beliefs of the community that shaped this place over many generations.
The site is located on Polna Street and remains open to visitors throughout the year, though the grounds require ongoing care and protection from potential damage. Walking through respectfully and staying on the pathways is advisable, as the grave arrangement is tight and the historic stones are fragile.
Several grave coverings on the grounds take the form of tomb chests, a structural type rarely found in other Jewish cemeteries throughout the Silesian region. These distinctive structures come from earlier periods of cemetery use and show regional craftsmanship techniques that were less common elsewhere.
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