This is a compendium of information from various sources. Please note that while we have no reason to doubt the information we do not have documents or evidence or independent verification for some of the material.
Geographical co-ordinates for the cemetery: 51°48’34.14″N 19°45’9.57″E
The Jewish cemetery in Brzeziny located on a street called ul. Reymonta, was established probably in the 16th century and was used during the Holocaust times. This cemetery was devastated by the Nazis. Jews who returned to Brzeziny, found only one grave stone intact in this cemetery.
“The cemetery was probably established in the 16th century, with the last known Orthodox or Conservative burials in 1939-1945. The isolated suburban hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all with no wall, fence, or gate (no longer the case) . The size of cemetery before and after WWII is 0.5 hectares. No gravestones are visible because they were removed to line the edges of fishponds in the NW part of town. The municipality owns the unused cemetery property, which borders gravel pits and residential areas. Rarely, organized Jewish group tours and private individuals stop. It was frequently vandalized during and after World War II. No maintenance or care. Security is a slight threat.” (Pawel Fijalkowski, ulica Ziemowita 11, 96-500 Sochaczew, tel. 22791 completed this survey on 26 June 1991. He visited the site in May 1990.)
A fence was erected by some former Brzeziners in 1991.
“During the communist times, ‘land used as “necropolis”, was transformed and used as a gravel making business’ reported leader of a Jewish community to Symch Keller from the Polish TV. “Almost all bones and ashes were used for production of prefabricated building materials. Today, the walls of blocks of apartments’ contain pulverised human bones”. During the 1990′ s, the descendants of the Jewish community, tidied up and fenced off the cemetery. Thanks to the help of the local population, a few grave stones found in other parts of the town were transferred to the land where necropolis was originally located.“
Jewish human remains discovered in Poland
WARSAW, Sept 7, 2007 (AFP) – Road workers have uncovered human remains from the oldest Jewish cemetery in Lodz, Poland’s second-largest city, the head of the local Jewish community told AFP on Friday. ‘The workers were digging a trench more than a metre (six feet) deep when they found a human skull and spinal column bones. They immediately stopped work to avoid desecrating the remains,’ Symch Keller said. ‘We believe that there are others buried, which could pose a big problem for the city,’ he added. The Jewish religion prohibits moving human remains. Poland’s chief rabbi Michael Schudrich was expected in Lodz on Friday to discuss the issue with city authorities. The discovery was made Thursday in the Baluty neighborhood, once a major Jewish area transformed into a ghetto by the Germans during World War II. ‘The Germans demolished numerous graves, but the cemetery survived,’ Keller said. ‘After the war, the communists built a working class neighbourhood over the site of the cemetery, in spite of the protests made by the Lodz Jewish community. They promised to transfer the remains, but they never did it.’ The cemetery dates to the beginning of the 19th century. Some 15,000 people were buried there.
Poland: Brzeziny Jewish Cemetery Monument Defaced (Again)
http://samgrubersjewishartmonuments.blogspot.com/2008/09/poland-brzeziny-jewish-cemetery.html
(ISJM) The Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage reported on September 8, 2008 that the Holocaust monument at the Jewish cemetery in Brzeziny (Lodzkie province) has been vandalized (again). Anti-Semitic graffiti was painted on the memorial tablet.
According to the report from the Foundation:
“The Jewish cemetery in Brzeziny, located at current Reymonta St., was established probably in 16th century and was in use until the Nazi devastation during the Holocaust. During the communist regime in Poland a sand mine was built on the cemetery grounds. Witnesses report that sand mixed with human bones was used to make prefabricates destined to be used in constructing large condominiums. Many tombstones were stolen and used for construction works, among others, to reinforce the fishing ponds. In 1992, on the initiative of the descendants of the Jews from Brzeziny, the cemetery grounds were fenced.”
