International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

MYSLOWICE: śląskie

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Coat of arms of Mysłowice

Alternate names: Mysłowice [Pol], Myslowitz [Ger]. 50°14' N, 19°09' E, 7 miles S of Będzin (Bendin). Jewish population: 900 (in 1887)

This city in southern Poland near Katowice in the south district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union metropolis with 2 million inhabitants is located in the Silesian Highlands on the Przemsza and Brynica river (tributaries of the Vistula) in the Silesian Voivodeship since its formation in 1999, previously in Katowice Voivodeship, and before that, of the Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship. Mysłowice is one of the cities of the 2,7 million conurbation in Katowice urban area and within a greater Silesian metropolitan area populated by about 5,294,000. The 2008 population of the city is 74,912.

CEMETERY:

  • "Jewish Gravestones Destroyed in Poland." Just months after Myslowice residents restored the town's Jewish cemetery By Stephanie Butnick|March 7, 2014
  • Dating from the early 18th century, until the establishment of this site along ul. Stawowej, they buried their dead in Bedzin. The oldest part of the cemetery in the Kwiatczysko is now the eastern part of the land. The cemetery close to the rear of what was the castle pond (currently the training pitches of "Górnika 09") is the oldest, non-existent part of the cemetery where there were gravestones, the oldest of which was dated at 1722. Presumably, the cemetery was several years older. Between 1978 during construction of ulica Stawowej a number of magnificent black marble fish matzevot from the old part of the cemetery were excavated. Their location is unknown, possibly reworked for Christian monuments. The part of the cemetery founded in 1864 remains, separated from a new path leading through the center of the cemetery, which is currently ul. Stawowa. The entrance to the new part is an iron gate set with a Mogen David in the center. A high brick fence surrounds the cemetery. Inside are pieces of old stone walls that originally surrounded the site; on the lower half can seen the difference in brick color. At the gate is the tahara (pre-burial house),  relatively small for a fairly large city. The 0.4 ha cemetery trapezoidal plot, according to the Jewish Historical Institute inventory made in 1989 has nearly four hundred gravestones or fragments including 55 matzevot, of which 23 and 10 lying broken; 77 obelisks including 75 fallen and 2 lying broken; 1 column; 6 other architectural monuments; and 10 suspected graves. The cemetery's thick vegetation makes access difficult to a number of gravestones. The matzevot are without a regular order. Those on the periphery of the cemetery survived in good condition. Most are made of black marble, alabaster, and serpentinite, a metamorphic rock demonstrating the wealth of some of the community. One is made of very expensive white marble. Gravestones inscriptions are Hebrew and German. Few characteristic Jewish cemetery symbols such as lions, books, palm trees and broken tress are seen. The common elements of these gravestones are floral: rhizomes of plants, flowers and fruits. Several matzevot have a candlestick with broken candle. Most matzevot inscriptions are face to the ground, preventing identification and evidencing purposeful vandalism. Entry to the cemetery is difficult because the gate has a padlock rusted shut. The location key is unknown. Entry is possible through the gap between the wall adjacent to the garage. photos. [June 2009]

 

US Commission No. POCE0000554

  • Alternate name: Myslowitz in German. Myslowice is located in the Katowickie region, 10 km from Katowic, 23 km from Oswiecimia. The cemetery is located on Stawowa St., opposite the new Jewish cemetery; now square in the living quarter [sic]. Present population is 25,000-100,000, no Jews.
  • Town: Urzad Miejski, 1 Powstancow St., tel. 122- 60-51, FAX 122-25-65 and Wydz iat Geodezji, tel. 122-60-51.
  • The earliest known Jewish community was 17th century. 1869Jewish population was 1040; 488 in 1910. Israel Markowicz (1675), Jacob Maier and Salomon Markowicz Marek Fleischer lived here. The cemetery was established in the first half of the 18th century with the last known Conservative burial about 1900. The urban, flat land, separate but near the new Jewish cemetery up to around 1920, has no sign or marker, no wall or fence. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. The size before WWII was 1.5 ha. There are no visible gravestones. One stone was moved to the new Jewish cemetery. Tombstones date probably from the 17th-18th centuries. The municipality owns property used for recreation. Adjacent properties are recreational and residential. There has been no vandalism, no maintenance, no care. There are no threats.
  • Dariusz Walerjanski, 11/6 Sleczka St., Zabrze 41-800 Poland completed survey 9/10/94 after visiting site on August 15, 1994. Documentation is from his own work. He may have more information.
  • BOOK: Author: Lewin, Isaac, collector. Title: Lewin collection, [ca. 1200]-1942, [ca. 1700]-1942 (bulk) Description: ca. 22.5 linear ft. Notes: Contains variety of records of Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe especially in Posen, Silesia and other German-speaking areas, including pinkasim (record books) of communities and societies, memorial books with lists of deaths, ..., cemetery registers, society statutes, synagogue seat records, and other documents of communities at ... Myslowitz (Myslowice, Poland), 1810-1852; .... Location: Yeshiva University. Special Collections. Rare Books and Manuscripts, New York, NY. Control No.: NYYH88-A76 [December 2000]
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Parent Category: EASTERN EUROPE