Yard of Brest hospital paved with gravestones from Jewish cemetery

The headstones have been excavated but some of them are still scattered around to the delight of vandals.
“Locomotive” stadium is situated in the place of the cemetery now. German fascists destroyed the cemetery.

The only local inhabitant who survived the liquidation of Brest ghetto, Arkadz Blyaher, has a document proving that the fascist administration ordered local inhabitants to bring headstones from the Jewish cemetery to the Gestapo. Part of the yard situated in the modern Marx Street was paved with them. The rest of the yard was covered with concrete slabs.

According to the information presented by “Brisk” association (meaning “Brest” in Yiddish), about 200 headstones have already been collected all over the city. They are preserved in one of the forts of the fortress situated not far from the city. A small memorial is planned to be built near the “Locomotive” stadium. It will be a so-called lapidarium (“lapidus” means “short” in Latin). 

However, local gangs have already started spoiling the unprotected memory. Somebody brought 4 headstones and left them near the concrete fence of the stadium. Parts of them are scattered and mingled with rubbish on the western and southern sides of the stadium.

Photos by Pavel Hryn



One of the best preserved gravestones



Gravestones lying in a pile near the hospital wall



Parts of gravestones near “Locomotive” stadium