Jewish grave stones unearthed in central Minsk
Jewish grave stones were unearthed during the construction of a Minsk Metro's technical builging between Plosca Niezaleznasci (Independence Square) and Vulica Leninhradskaja (Leningradskaya Street). The location is surrounded by the Belarus State University campus. The area was deserted since 2003.
A Euroradio reporter managed to get past the fence through a hole and take pictures.
There was nobody in charge. Several escalators were trasnporting stones up and down, while workers were digging the ground with shovels. When asked if they knew that they had unearthed Jewish grave stones, the men answered: “Well, we have plenty of stones here.” Apparently, no historians or archeologists came here.
“There were only workers who came to check the copper cable. It was broken and needs to be fixed,” says one of the builders.
A Jewish cemetry was destroyed to give way to a university building. Some of the grave stones were apparently used for the foundation.
A seven-storey building to accommodate Metro engineers with 6000 sq. m to service the third and forth Metro lines is planned to be commissioned in two years.
