- Encyclopedia of Jewish Life (2001), p. 1375: "Varazdin".
- Pinkas HaKehilot, Yugoslavia (1988), p. 116: "Varazdin"
Located about 50 miles NW of Zagreb, Jews settled here in 1777. The first Jewish school in Croatia was
founded here in 1826. The Neo-Moorish synagogue built in 1861 had a facade with a central section with an
arched top above a small rose window flanked by two side towers and topped by onion domes. Damaged in
1941 and rebuilt in 1946, the site was turned into a movie theater in 1969 that has since vacated the premises.
The rear exterior remained intact with blond stone and high, arched windows.[January 2009]
The synagogue on Frankopanska Street, built in 1862 by Valent Morandini and confiscated in 1945, exists on
property confiscated in 1951. [Land Registry: Folder No: 2061; Plot No.: 2018] Jewish Community was
established in 18th and 19th century and ended in 1952. Jewish Population: 1925/26-1400; 1931- 730; 1937/38-
1000; 1941-370; 1947-43; 1994-1. Gruber, Ruth Ellen. Jewish Heritage Travel: A Guide to East-Central
Europe. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1992. (page 243) [1997]
Cemetery: Location: on the main road to Koprivnica at the intersection of Zaobilaznica Street. The GPS
location is 481816N0162106E. [Land Registry: Folder No: 362; Plot No.: 3604/1, 3604/2, 3605, 4072, 4070/2
& 4070/3]. The cemetery was established in 1806. The cemetery, containing a Ceremonial Hall and about 600
monuments, is on property about ¾ hectares in size. The property was taken over in 1958 and is now owned and
maintained by the Parkovi d.d. Company, Hallerova aleja 8, 42000 Varaždin. http://www.parkovi.com;
telephone; 042 332-777, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The Ceremonial Hall was built in 1900 and is designated a
Historical Landmark (Monument of Culture). Unfortunately, a concrete factory, Tehnobeton, is located very
close by, making for unsuitable surroundings. Many of the older monuments have both German and Hebrew
inscriptions. Newer monument inscriptions may be in Croatian and some in Hungarian. There have been no
burials for maybe the last 50 years. An original illuminated registry book of the Varazdin Chevra Kadisha
(burial society) from 1812, is kept in the archives of the Jewish Community in Zagreb. The book includes
procedures of the Society and list of members. Because many monuments are unreadable, a book of burials at
the cemetery is located in the Municipal Museum of Varazdin. Photos of the cemetery can be seen atl.
[Updated by Ed Zwieback, Long Beach, California [May 2007]
Photos on Ed Zwieback's site.
JOWBR burial listings. [January 2009]
Photos courtesy Ed Zwieback [July 2012]
