History

The history of Jewish settlements within the Prussia borders began when Prussian king Frederic William issued an edict granting civil rights to the Jews living in Prussia in 1812. They were granted, among others, the  freedom of establishment and the right to engage in craft. Already in  1820 12 Jewish families lived in Szczytno, and a cemetery constituting one of the first signs of their permanent settlement was founded in  1815. That is when, still small, Jewish community, bought land outside the city (now at its suburbs, behind the tracks, for the amount of 20 thalers and a rent amounting to 60 silver coins. The cemetery established there served Jewish community until the moment of their extermination during Second World War. Preserved until present times, it is the only visible evidence of the presence of Jews in Szczytno.

Description

Cemetery is located on the outskirts of the city, at ul. Łomżyńska, in the neighbourhood of sparse buildings. It was set on an irregular quadrilateral floor plan, surrounded by a modern metal fence, with few species of old trees; the graves are situated in rows. Preserved numerous matzevot with inscriptions in Hebrew and German (considerable part bilingual) mainly from the second half of the 19th century and the  beginning of the 20th century, both in the forms of traditional matzevot and other forms, e.g. neo-Gothic ones or in the form of a column. One of the oldest preserved graves is a tombstone of 1841.

Accessible historic building.

Compiled by Marzena Zwierowicz, 8.12.2014.

Bibliography

• Knercer W., Cmentarze południowych Mazur, [w:] Jasiński G., Kudrzycki Z., Misiuk A. (red.) Powiat szczycieński. Przeszłość - współczesność, Szczytno 2006, s. 722.
• Kossert A., Z dziejów gminy żydowskiej w Szczytnie, [w:] Jasiński G., Kudrzycki Z., Misiuk A. (red.) Powiat szczycieński. Przeszłość - współczesność, Szczytno 2006, s. 385.
• Liżewska I., Szczytno. Przewodnik po historii i zabytkach miasta, Szczytno 2007, s.60.