I came across the New Jewish Cemetery in Krakow less than two years ago; during a covid-19 lockdown. Because of the restrictions, I started intense exploring my city. Since then, I've been visiting this place once every few months.
It is where I often reset my mind to "factory settings." Many so-called problems lose their power, faced with the definitive end.
I know that time is limited and very precious. Usually, I don't think about it. Nor about how lucky I am to have any time at all. It is here I always become acutely aware of all the wasted hours. Sometimes, when I catch myself mindlessly scrolling Facebook, I can almost hear my voice from the distant future - put the damn phone down and LIVE!
The cemetery on Miodowa St stole my heart on my very first visit. There is an incredible atmosphere here, as in any old cemetery.
It was opened in 1800; when Kazimierz (once a separate town) was incorporated into Krakow. Back then, all old cemeteries located in dense residential buildings were closed. On the outskirts of the city, new ones have opened.
The cemetery has aged considerably since then, and the term 'new' sounds strange.
There are an estimated 10000 gravestones in the cemetery. Like all sites associated with Jewish culture, this place was trashed during the Nazi occupation. Most of the matzevot were used for construction works (some served as paving slabs in the Płaszów camp) or had been sold to local stonemasons. Those that managed to be saved were only returned here after the war.
Some of them are still lying under the wall.
There are many new graves, but most of the area is hidden under a carpet of ivy. Every time I get up here, I think: I see you. It is my way of honoring the human beings who are no longer with us - a few seconds of attention.
I won't lie; death scares me. But would I love my life so much without it?
As always, warm greetings from Krakow 🌼 See you!
