Jewish cemetery in Přeštice

The Jewish cemetery in Přeštice lies in the Zámostí part of town, roughly a kilometer east of the town center, near the road leading to Vodokrty. It is a small, well-kept burial ground that survived a turbulent twentieth century and today stands as a reminder of the Jewish community that once lived in this corner of the Plzeň region.

When was the cemetery established?

The present cemetery in Přeštice was founded in 1907, a relatively late date compared with older Jewish cemeteries in the region. The local Jewish community itself only took shape at the end of the 19th century, even though Jewish settlement in Přeštice and the surrounding villages likely dates back to the early 17th century. Before 1907, the dead were buried in older cemeteries that served the whole district, including one nearby in Dolní Lukavice.

How large is the cemetery and how many gravestones remain?

The cemetery covers an area of 3,387 square meters. Several dozen gravestones have survived — sources put the number at somewhere between roughly twenty and just under fifty stones, most dating from the first half of the 20th century and still standing in their original positions. The grounds also include a former ceremonial hall (beit tahara), once used for ritual preparations before burial.

Who is buried here?

Among those buried in the cemetery is Rabbi Leopold Singer, who died in 1934 and was one of the leading figures of the local Jewish community. The last known burial took place in 1956, after the war and after the near-total destruction of the town's Jewish population.

What happened to the Jewish community of Přeštice?

The cemetery's fate is closely tied to the tragic history of the town's Jewish residents. On November 26, 1942, the German occupation authorities deported around forty Jewish citizens of Přeštice to extermination camps. That date marked the effective end of a centuries-long Jewish presence in the town.

What happened to the cemetery after the war?

With no community left to maintain it, the cemetery fell into disrepair for decades after World War II. The site was put to uses far removed from its original purpose, including, at one point, pheasant breeding. Only toward the end of the 20th century did restoration work begin in earnest, carried out jointly by local non-Jewish residents and representatives of the country's Jewish religious community, with major work taking place around 1990–1991.

Is the cemetery protected today?

Yes. The Jewish cemetery in Přeštice has been designated a cultural monument, with legal protection in place since September 20, 2017. This status formally safeguards the site from further deterioration and secures its place as a lasting part of the local historical heritage.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Jewish cemetery in Přeštice founded? The current cemetery was established in 1907, although Jewish settlement in the area is considerably older.

How many gravestones survive at the cemetery? Several dozen gravestones remain, mostly from the first half of the 20th century, along with a former ceremonial hall.

Who is buried at this cemetery? Rabbi Leopold Singer, who died in 1934, among others. The last burial took place in 1956.

What happened to the Jewish residents of Přeštice? On November 26, 1942, around forty of them were deported by the German occupation authorities to extermination camps.

Is the cemetery legally protected? Yes, it has held the status of a cultural monument since September 20, 2017.