For centuries, Jews were present in all spheres of everyday life, bringing a lot to it from their traditions, and also benefiting themselves. The Nazi occupation brought an end to their history in Podlasie: people were exterminated, products of their culture and monuments were destroyed. Only Jewish cemeteries have survived in some places, and a few matzevot, the last material testimony of this community.

History of the object

Kirkut, Kierkow, Kirchol (from the German word Kirchhof, meaning the church yard where the dead were buried), are the terms for a Jewish cemetery used by Poles. Jews did not use these terms, they were using Yiddish terms (beioim, beiakvres) or those derived from Hebrew (beit olam house of the worldci, beit kvarot house of tombs, beit almin house of eternity the term borrowed from Aramaic language). According to their religious principles, Jews were setting their cemeteries outside the towns with separate quarters for men and women.The Jewish cemetery in Nasielsk was probably founded on the bank of Struga Mogiła in the first hald of the 19th century. Colloquially referred to as "Mogiłki". Closed and devastated during World War II.

Description of the object

The cemetery is located south from the town boundery, next to Łomża-Stawiski road. It can be reached by a dirt road. Along the boundaries, there are traces of an earth embankment and fragments of a stone wall. The northern and north-eastern boundaries of the cemetery are marked by a stream whose course is largely regulated by beavers feeding there. Numerous trees and shrubs, and a wet area along both banks of the stream. The south and south-western boundary of the cemetery is an eart embankment densely overgrown with shrubs. The so-called cemetery reserve is adjescent to the western boundary of the cemetery. In the northern part of the necropolis, the ramparts of an early medieval stronghold have been preserved. Tombstones in the form of matzevot, fieldstones with inscriptions and tombs resembling a sarcophagi (but not containing the body of the deceased, which was buried directly in the ground), with a vertically attached matzeva - have been partially preserved. Tombstones (several dozen) located irregularly within the yard of the stronghold. The area of the cemetery is overgrown with numerous trees and shrubs, mostly self-sown, and perennial grass.

Visitor access: the object is open to visitors.

Author of the note: compiled by Iwona Górska, Regional Branch of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage in Białystok, 5 November 2014

Bibliography

• Łomża i województwo, krajobraz i architektura, Warsaw 1984, p.125.
• Katalog Zabytków Sztuki w Polsce, vol. IX: Województwo łomżyńskie, fol. 3: Kolno, Grajewo i okolice, prepared by Kałamajska-Saeed M., Warszawa 1988, pp. 1, 35.