This old truth could be applied also for our current complicated times. Many activities of ŽNO Žilina are now limited or completely cancelled. After many years, we could not meet at the seder dinner, we do not come in contact at the ŽNO Club and we even had to cancel our regular June events. Tryzna, tradition we have followed since the end of the World War II – is not going to happen this year. However, complicated times when most of us are unable to work in our regular jobs offered us opportunity to take more care of old Jewish cemeteries. Which is good.
There is only one ŽNO in Žilina district and the Žilina cemetery is the only one where the dead are being buried. But there are another 27 cemeteries in the district left after defunct ŽNOs. These cemeteries are mostly in desolate condition and it is not possible for us to take care of them. However, there are exceptions and we are pleased to say that volunteers are increasingly continuing with the revitalization and repair of the cemetery in Kysucké Nové Mesto. It was in a desolate state for a long time and actually became a dumping ground for the nearby town cemetery. Last year volunteers already cleared shrubs and removed wind dispersed woods. This spring they took away hundreds of tons of soil, concrete and rubbish by using machinery from the area. Stairs appeared along the entire edge of the cemetery and gravestones could see sunlight after being buried under soil and garbage for years. Eventually, erection of gravestones and sowing of grass will be a cherry on top of the cake. Our thanks goes to Mr. Minch, Mr. Janoška and a group of people around them who volunteered for this not easy but well appreciated task.
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- Židovský cintorín v Kysuckom Novom Meste – dobrovoľníci pracujúci na cintoríne. Jewish cemetery in Kysucké Nové Mesto – volunteers working in the cemetery.(foto/photo: www.zilina-gallery.sk)
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- Židovský cintorín v Kysuckom Novom Meste – likvidácia náletových drevín. V pozadí je vidieť navozený odpad a zemina z priľahlého mestského cintorína – tieto sú už zlikvidované. Jewish cemetery in Kysucké Nové Mesto – removal of wind dispersed woods. In the background you can see the waste and soil from the nearby town cemetery – it has already been removed. (foto/photo: www.zilina-gallery.sk)
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- Židovský cintorín v Kysuckom Novom Meste – súčasný stav pred vztyčovaním náhrobkov. Jewish cemetery in Kysucké Nové Mesto – current state before erection of gravestones.
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- Židovský cintorín v Kysuckom Novom Meste – znovuobjavené schody pozdĺž okraja cintorína. Jewish cemetery in Kysucké Nové Mesto – stairs along the edge of the cemetery.
ŽNO Žilina takes care of the cemetery in Kotešová. Few years ago only a few dedicated ones would know that there are graves under trees, bushes and weed. Gradually we managed to clear dozens of wind dispersed woods and remove shrubs. This year there was an unpleasant surprise as a heavy uprooted spruce fell right between two gravestones. The company Seidl, s.r.o. processed spruce wood, cut dozens of wind dispersed woods and processed heaps of branches into wood chips. In the end we managed to find a company that disposed of last few bushes with a trimmer and mowed the cemetery. This company will continue to help with works on other neglected cemeteries in the region.
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- Židovský cintorín v Kotešovej – stav cintorína pred začiatkom prác. Jewish cemetery in Kotešová – condition of the cemetery before the start of work. (foto/photo: www.zilina-gallery.sk)
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- Židovský cintorín v Kotešovej – zlomený strom spadnutý medzi dva hroby. Jewish cemetery in Kotešová – broken tree in between two graves.
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- Židovský cintorín v Kotešovej – cintorín po odstránení spadnutého stromu. V pozadí sú uložené konáre pred štiepkovaním. Jewish cemetery in Kotešová – cemetery after removal of a fallen tree. Branches in the background are piled up before chipping.
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- Židovský cintorín v Kotešovej. Jewish cemetery in Kotešová.
Last week we started with works on repairing the cemetery in Rajec which was damaged by vandals. M. Melicherčík and his colleagues from a construction company have so far built 11 grave stones and the works will continue. We plan to erect and repair more than 20 gravestones damaged by minor vandals.
We believe that the parents of minor vandals and perhaps the vandals themselves will join the Christian volunteers who have been taking good care of the cemetery in Rajec for years.
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- Židovský cintorín v Rajci – náhrobok pred opravou. Jewish cemetery in Rajec – gravestone before repair.
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- Židovský cintorín v Rajci – náhrobok po oprave. Jewish cemetery in Rajec – gravestone after repair.
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- Židovský cintorín v Rajci – náhrobok pred opravou. Jewish cemetery in Rajec – gravestone before repair.
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- Židovský cintorín v Rajci – náhrobok po oprave. Jewish cemetery in Rajec – gravestone after repair.
In Námestovo civic association CA Pamätaj (Remember) headed by Ing. K. Kurtulík is repairing a cemetery damaged by vandals and with the help of organizations and individuals they are determined to rebuild all 50 damaged gravestones. Not only that, the cemetery will be illuminated and monitored by electronic monitoring system.
At the end of March we received information about the gradual cutting of nine trees in the cemetery in Dolný Kubín. The perpetrator has been found and we will demand compensation from him for damages he caused by illegal cutting of trees which also damaged the cemetery fence. The public in Dolný Kubín was not happy about what happened in our cemetery. The long term keeper of the cemetery in Dolný Kubín, Mrs. A. Pániková will be helped out by activists from Aktív-Relax civic association.
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- Židovský cintorín v Dolnom Kubíne – pne po spílených stromoch. Jewish cemetery in Dolný Kubín – stumps from cut trees.
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- Židovský cintorín v Dolnom Kubíne – peň po spílenom strome. Jewish cemetery in Dolný Kubín – stump from a cut tree.
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- Židovský cintorín v Dolnom Kubíne – spílený smrek, ktorý dopadol na starý plot a poškodil ho. Jewish cemetery in Dolný Kubín – cut spruce that fell on an old fence and damaged it.
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- Židovský cintorín v Dolnom Kubíne – PaedDr. Albína Pániková (správkyňa cintorína) a Pavel Frankl (predseda ŽNO Žilina) pred spíleným smrekom. Jewish cemetery in Dolný Kubín – PaedDr. Albína Pániková (cemetery keeper) and Pavel Frankl (head of ŽNO Žilina) in front of a cut spruce.
Pavel Frankl
Head of ŽNO Žilina
