The Jewish Cemetery?

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Thanks for your cooperation and for the materials provided: תודות על שיתוף הפעולה ועל החומרים שהוגשו:

Miriam Friedman Morris; Museum Karlovy Vary; Státní okresní archiv Cheb; Museum Sokolov; Židovská obec Karlovy Vary, www.chewra.com, J. Achab Haidler, PhD. Jitka Chmelíková – Mlsová, Mgr. Lukáš Svoboda, PhD. Helena Kavková, www.medilanicentrum.cz .

Coworkers: Jana Kofránková, Lukáš Kučera, Günther Juba, Jana Hubáčková, Petra Řezníčková, Hoai Le Thi, Jana Jechová, Karol Babíčková, Iveta Bellová, Marie Lendělová, Noe Schořálek, Pavla Gabhrelíková, Tomáš Kabát, Josef Mašek, Jana Kociánová, Martin Bednařík, Lucie Kinderová und anderen Mitgliedres und Volunters

Project manager: Iva Kofránková

Editor: Jana Frank 2

Czech version: www.medialnicentrum.cz

German version: www.egeschichte.eu

FRANK, Jana a kol.: Jüdische Friedhöfe und Denkmäler in der Karlsbader Region

1. vyd. SeeMedia o.s. 2013, 60 NS

ISBN 978-80-87701-16-4 (on-line: Pdf)

E-mail: [email protected]

This project has been funded with support from the European Union. Only the author is responsible for the content of publications. The publication does not represent the views of the European Commission and the European Commission is not responsible for any use which may be contained therein.

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Be inspired and embark on an extraordinary journey

Four dozen places shrouded mysticism ...

Why publish this eBook?

„Vergiss nie etwas davon, was du in deinem Leben erkanntest und lerne es deine Kinder und Enkelkinder./Dt 4:9/

Because we like quaint places where the Jewish cemeteries are located. Magical place deep in the 3 woods, at the end of towns and villages. Jews often received the worst places for its municipal cemeteries. Most synagogues were burned, others flooded by water tank, the cemetery boards were used as paving – into buildings, sidewalks or streams. From cemeteries were created gardening colonies or they were 'rescued' by lying in the woods so hard to reach places that no one gets to them. Thanks to this they remain beautiful adornment of nature. Some places were lucky - local volunteers from Germany found them and began to reconstruct and maintain. Ironically, they are mainly smaller municipalities - like Drmoul, Hroznětín, Kynšperk and more. We want to thank the ones who try restoring these places, honoring our former compatriots and seeking no political and economic causes – they do it just from the heart, because they know that it is correct!

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This book is also intended to serve as a guide for those who want to participate in the documentation and reconstruction of these places. Because even the lay public can be very helpful.

Jana Frank Editor

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5 What means…

Kristallnacht

Nazis in Germany started the Jewish pogrom. They set fire to the synagogue, shattering glass at Jewish shops. Kristallnacht bears his name by broken glass from shop windows, but also because it should have symbolized the 'purge' - crystallization - the Aryan race from the Jews. It took place in the night of the 9th to 10 November 1938. A day later also in the Czech-German borderlands - Sudetenland. Local Nazis, however, refused to burn synagogues, and so there were sent special units of the SS from Plauen. "The mood among the inhabitants of Eger was very despondent. Nobody didn´t rejoice. Nobody but also dared to publicly protest against it, "says Edith Bergler, a former high school teacher of Bayreuth high school in her book, for which she collected material between the former German residents of the Karlovy Vary Region.“Around firefighters stood ready with water. They were not allowed to extinguish. Just to see that the fire has not spread to other houses. "

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Shoah / Holocaust

The systematic name for a state-run persecution and mass murders of marked individuals (in the case of the 2nd World War, it was the Jews). The Holocaust was a Nazi practical application of a coded phrase "the final solution of the Jewish question" (Endlösung der Judenfrage)

2. Word war

Kennen Sie nicht? Diesen Begriff müssen Sie also ´googeln´.... :-)

How to behave at the Jewish cemetery?

6 כיצד להתנהג בבית הקברות היהודי?

As in the synagogue - respectfully, quietly

כמו בבית הכנסת - בכבוד, בשקט

Cover your head cover

לכסות את הראש בכיסוי Ask the tomb stones - and supported by the leaves

לשים אבנים על הקבר – ניתן לשים גם פתק תחתם

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7 What distinguishes Jewish tombstones?

Tombstones are mostly written in Hebrew. Hebrew is read from left to right. To each character is given a Hebrew letter, number, and even symbolism. For example, A means Alef (the meaning it's the head of a bull, while thus identifies itself Bh), therefore means the letter A and the number 1. When it is necessary to ascribe the year so they write rings above letters and the sum of these rings is the year. (The year according to the Jewish tradition is different because they did not start from 0 with the coming of Jesus, but went further in AD.) Most of the graves has only vertical section - the plate on which the text can be found. There's no 'deferrals area' on the bouquet, which generally follows the body deep below the surface. At various times, the trend of burials was different. Sometimes people were buried horizontally (a deceased was placed as we used to - like lying) and sometimes vertically (a deceased was placed as if he stood – when there was a 'little place'). In Ashkenazi communities there is the tradition of erecting the tombstone at the feet

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of the a deceased. In Sephardic communities there is the tradition of erecting the tombstone at the head of a deceased. For us - in the Czech Republic and in the Karlovy Vary region were Ashkenazi .

Texts on the tombstones are read from right to left

Mostly, there is far more data than we are used to from civil or Christian cemetery - which are names, dates of birth and death, or short mottos. The Jewish tombstones are far more about the man who rests below. There are usually very short sentences about the deceased's life. These stories give life to cemeteries. Because who else lies in cemeteries than the one that was alive. (For example: She gave birth and raised her four children, embraced two other orphans and raised them. During the war she helped in the field hospital.)

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Sample: The inscription on the tombstone

She gave birth and raised four own children, adopted two other orphans and raised them.

During the war helped 9 in a field hospital.

A man in death must not be left alone

For Jews it is customary to bury in the ground. Cremation is neither welcome nor habit. Burying the Jews is a very important ceremony. The funeral is like in other religions ritual that is used a last and dignified farewell to the deceased, according to the religious rules and regulations. (These rules are called HALACHA)

Traditions of Judaism teach that one should not be in sickness and death itself. Fellow man takes care of that – or traditionally a burial brotherhood, in Aramaic "Chevra Kadisha", a full name then "de-Chevra Kadisha gomlej Chasadim? (Holy Brotherhood of those who perform deeds of mercy. They are mostly members of each Jewish community who are in this worry. It is divided into men and women. www.take-off-story.com E-mail: [email protected]

Women take care of dead women and men of dead men.). If the patient's death is inevitable, the burial brotherhood is still with him. A very important role of Brotherhood is listening to the confession of sins of a dying man (viduj), who then as his last words uttered a profession of faith "Shema Yisrael". Then Brotherhood begins to prepare for the funeral. They put a dead man on the ground, cover him by a sail and light a candle at his head. When members of the Brotherhood announce the death they go to dig a grave and make a coffin from rough boards. They wash a deceased man with warm water while chanting verses from the Torah. Then they clothed him in white robes. The funeral is to take place within 24 hours.

The period of mourning lasts a week to a year

The closest relatives, the first seven days would not even leave the house or work. Every year on the anniversary of the death is a custom to burn a candle for the dead (Jahrzeit). Twelve months after the funeral ceremony a tombstone “maceva” is erected on the tomb. It takes so long because the remembrance of the deceased man goes slowly away. 10

In the Middle Ages it was customary to write texts on the tombstone concerning the life of the deceased and highlight his merits. Today, on the tombstone there remains only the name and date of birth and death. The only element that remained preserved from the Middle Ages is "tanceba", named after the initial letters of words (nafs Tihje crura bicrur-ha-Hayyim let his soul attached to the bundle of life). Tombstones are different sizes. The richer or more important person – the bigger tombstone. The poorer and less socially significant - the smaller. The smallest tombstones are for children.

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SYMBOLS on the tombstones

Each symbol has a hidden meaning and can give us interesting information about the deceased.

The first group of symbols: symbols corresponding to the synagogue function of the deceased, his position and the work that he was in the liturgical life of the Jewish community.

Hand symbol and the symbol of a can with a bowl described below. “A circumcision guy” has motifs of circumcision knife on his gravestone. (Circumcision signifies fulfillment of the contract with God.) Testament scrolls, books, book shelves, pen, pen-knife, candlestick – it mark Torah copyist.

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A long kosher knife (less than a circumcision one) - a Jewish butcher has it; he slaughtered animals in the prescribed manner and followed the ritual. Moneybox indicates an administrator of charity coffers.

The second group of symbols: Symbols with deeper biblical themes (trees, candles, pillars, floral motifs, crowns and some figures).

Tree symbolizes Torah and wisdom contained in it, or it is the symbol of a righteous life. A palm is related to a virtuous life. A willow is a generic symbol for death of a loved one. Plant motifs (flower, sprout) express hope for the future while the transience of human existence. Fruits (pine cones, grape, and pomegranate) are symbols of love – to a partner as well as to the Law. Candles and candle symbolize life and its laws. The crown is a sign of wisdom, a deep knowledge of the Torah or the reminder of merit, quiet and dedicated life as the crown of a good name. 12

Ancestral characters

Leo is associated with the families of Judah, indicating an adherence to the principles of Judaism. Sea, sails, boats are associated with the Zavulun family. Snake motifs are associated with the family of Dan. Banners are usually associated with the name Gad. Bowls of fruit are assigned to the name Asher. Deers are associated with the name Neftali. Sprig belongs to Joseph. Wolf belongs to the family of Benjamin.

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The third part of symbols: Other transformation and creative visual development has nothing to do with Torah so much.

Escutcheon symbolism of individual families - eagles, bears, foxes (Beer, Fuks, Adler)

13 The fourth part of symbols: Contemporary. In the second half of the 19th century. They bear the sign of the coming out of the ghettos and links with other cultures. Note the more professional symbols.

The snake of Aesculap. For doctors. Scales for lawyers. Frictional bowls for medics. Compasses for builders. Most common symbols on gravestones in the Karlovy Vary region are: blessing hands, a six-pointed star and the pot.

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Hand symbol indicates that the deceased was kohen, a descendant of the first high 14 priest Aaron. These people often used the surname Kohen, Kohn, Katz and Kahn. A blessing hand gesture illustrates the clerical blessing with outstretched fingers on both hands. The gesture is accompanied by the words: "May God bless you and protect you, may the Lord let his face shine upon you." A composition of hands imitates the movement by which is given God's blessing. The gesture represents the channel and connection. A six-pointed star or a hexagram was originally an ancient magical sign called the Magen David which means Shield of David. This symbol appears frequently in Jewish symbolism with the pentagram (Solomon's seal). Magen David became a part of the emblem of the Jewish community around 1530 and over the years has spread to other parts of the diaspora as a general symbol of Judaism. Symbol of a teapot and bowl represents a Levite set and indicates the final resting place of Levites, a descendant of Levi. Levi was the third of twelve sons of Jacob. Only the Levites had the right to serve during worship to priests. One of these acts was also washing hands of Kohens before blessing. To do this, they used cans as www.take-off-story.com E-mail: [email protected]

containers for water and a bowl for washing their own hands. These two subjects, closely connected with their functions in a religious ceremony, became their symbols.

15 Volunteers restore and document cemeteries

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The Communist regime was not much better to Jewish cemeteries than a Nazi one. For example, in Cheb Nazis were not responsible for “deleting” a local Jewish cemetery - but on the contrary - after that - last German residents were expelled after the war - the town hall unofficially declared this place for a quarry. So Czechs went for gravestones, were taking them away and used for private or public purposes (paving, etc.). Today, as we mention in the text below, there is still a gardening colony on the cemetery. The city had more important things to worry about - for example, to repair a German military cemetery - it was high-profile media events. The event also reminded the leadership of all German survivors and politicians (over 2000 people), that now, when the cemetery is repaired, the German side could 'nudge' affair with a German part which belongs to the city (it was, of course, about money and politics). And that is why it is extremely important to map

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and restore Jewish cemeteries in the other way than political reasons that have already inflicted a lot of evil.

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Also a Hasidic Jew Jaroslav Achab Haidler does an excellent work. He travels throughout the country and maps of Jewish cemeteries and graves in them. Of course he also documented and helped to initiate the campaign of Jewish cemeteries in the Karlovy Vary Region. He and his fellow, enthusiasts, from the civic association Keshet (an arch), among them also a historian from Karlovy Vary Lukáš Svoboda, help to recreate an image of the local history. Furthermore, there help volunteers from the organization Aktion Berlin Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste. They regularly go 18 to cemeteries in the region and always stay a few days and clean the tombstones, lift them using a special technique, finish up documentation (reading tombstones and their identification).

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Places

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KARLOVY VARY/ KARLSBAD

ובית הכנסת שנשרף שלט הנצחה לזכר קורבנות השואה

A memorial plaque burned synagogues and Holocaust victims opposite Koscher hotel Laureta, Sadová Str. 27

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They were burned the 10th of November 1938 during the Crystal Night by SA unions from Plauen.

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בית הכנסת הנוכחי והקהילה היהודית של קרלובי וארי

The current synagogue and Jewish community of Karlovy Vary

Bezručova Str. 8

In July 1945 twenty six Jews renewed actions in the village. This is an amount of Jews who returned back from concentration camps or foreign armies (originally there were 2000 of them).

(To compare: In the year 1930 there were 2120 Jews in Karlovy Vary).

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But none of them (or their relatives) lives here now. Some emigrated to foreign countries right after the war and the rest run away because of a communist regime – the first part before the year 1947 and the second one after the year 1968. They mostly found their homes in Israel, USA, Germany and other countries. Now there are officially ninety Jews in Karlovy Vary.

R a b b i R E U V E N G R O S Z

A Carlsbad honorary rabbi of the Jewish community is Rabbi Z. REUVENGROS. A former local high school student who converted to Judaism and moved to Israel to study. Today there is a family living in Karlovy Vary and occasionally rides to KV and supports the local .

What seats would you prefer in the Carlsbad region? 24

It's obviously the Carlsbad synagogue because I was involved in putting it into operation. I love to go to the cemetery in Karlovy Vary and I like to go among people - and as time goes on, there's still more people that I know personally.

Are there some places in Israel that remind you of your native country? And if so – by what?

Actually, I did not pay too much attention. I came to Israel to study so I've never ridden anywhere. Now I travel within my work and after returning I like to be at home.

How to honor those who lie on Jewish cemeteries in the area? It is possible to walk here as a meditation place, with the fact that man does not want to disturb the deceased, but rather to honor them as they contemplate?

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Actually, I would not like to somehow strictly advise trips to Jewish cemeteries. Anyway, who wants to come to the cemetery should be decently dressed, covered elbows and knees (it means - clothes that reached below the knee and below the elbow). There is not allowed eating or drinking on cemeteries.