Jewish cemetery in Słubice

The Jewish cemetery in Słubice, also known as Judenkirchhof, is one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in Europe, with the first written mention dating back to 1399. Located at Transportowa Street, it was originally established on the private land of the Hokemann family and later came under the administration of the city of Frankfurt (Oder). The cemetery gained significance due to the burials of many Frankfurt rabbis, including Josef ben Meir Theomim. In 1868, a new section of the cemetery was opened, and in 1870, a neo-Romanesque funeral home with a distinctive dome was erected. The cemetery served as a memorial site for Jewish soldiers of World War I and housed prayer books and Torah scrolls rescued by Otto Billerbeck from destruction. Although World War II brought damage, the cemetery was not devastated at that time. After the war, its deterioration began, and in 1972, communist authorities decided to liquidate it, leading to the removal of tombstones and the transformation of the area into the "Staropolski Inn." For years, the cemetery was neglected until 1999, when a commemorative plaque was installed to mark its 600th anniversary. In 2004, the cemetery grounds were transferred to the Jewish Community of Szczecin and later to the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Warsaw, which carried out a thorough renovation. The cemetery has become a pilgrimage site for Jewish Hasidim and visitors from across Europe, and events such as virtual tours have attracted international attention. In 2013, the cemetery was entered into the register of historical monuments, highlighting its historical and cultural significance. Since March 2021, Roland Semik has served as the cemetery's voluntary caretaker, and his efforts led to the recovery of a historic handwashing basin for ritual use. The Jewish cemetery in Słubice not only serves as an important memorial to the Jewish community of the region but also stands as a testament to centuries of history, architecture, and cultural heritage that deserve protection and remembrance.