židovský hřbitov v Novém Bydžově Jewish cemetery

The Jewish cemetery in Nový Bydžov (Hradec Králové district) is one of the oldest and most preserved places of this type in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1520, it represents an important cultural monument with more than 1480 tombstones.

This site was established in 1520 in the southern part of the city, outside its walls. It relates to the settlement of Jews who have since the beginning of the 16th century moved to the area of the former Minorite monastery known as the monastery. The community gradually built its neighborhood, in which the first synagogue was built in 1550. In the 17th century this area was enclosed and turned into a ghetto.

The monument is situated on a rectangular plot over half a hectare, approximately 400 metres southwest of the historical centre. The terrain is in the western part sloping towards the center, while the east side and the edges are raised. The highest point is on the south side. The eastern and partly southern edge of the cemetery consists of decayed remains of a brick wall from the 19th century. The original entrance in the southeast corner has sandstone lining with segmental upper and profile above the plinth. Current access from the street is made up of an inconspicuous narrow passage to the right of house No. 217. It is covered in brick wall with sandstone plates and equipped with a portal.

There are over 1480 tombstones in the cemetery, from which the oldest preserved piece dates back to 1577. Sandstone monuments from the second half of the 17th century and the 18th century prevail; exceptionally, marble slabs are represented here. Most tombstones are oriented towards the exit. The youngest monuments are located in the southwest part of the hill. They excel in high pylons, in the form of inverted graves or tumbs and cast iron railing.

The cemetery served for funerals of local and nearby Jews until 1885. The Jewish community in New Bydžov reached its peak in the first half of the 18th century, when over 400 inhabitants lived in grafted houses. The fate of the Jewish quarter indicated two major disasters: a fire in 1718, followed by a walled synagogue, and a fire on July 15, 1901, which left only this synagogue from the quarter. The tragic chapter is the Nazi occupation; Only three of 76 Jews returned from the transport of June 10, 1942.

Today, the cemetery is protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic under the register number SAR 27258 / 6-671. Visitors can reach it by prior agreement through the City Museum in New Bydžov.

This cemetery is a unique testimony about Jewish life and the tragic end of the local community. Thanks to its extraordinary preservation, it is a key place to understand the history of the region and is worth a personal visit.