Jewish cemetery in Střítež

The Jewish cemetery in Střítež is a modest yet historically rich burial ground that testifies to centuries of Jewish presence in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. Tucked away southwest of the village of Střítež, the site sits within a wooded area between a former agricultural cooperative and the Castle Pond. Its secluded, forested setting gives the cemetery a quiet, almost contemplative atmosphere, even though it spent decades neglected and forgotten.

When was the Jewish community in Střítež founded?

The cemetery's origins trace back to the early 17th century, when a sizeable Jewish community settled in Střítež. It was this community that established the local cemetery to serve its burial needs according to Jewish tradition. Over the following centuries, the burial ground expanded alongside the growth of the local Jewish congregation, becoming a lasting fixture of the village landscape.

How many gravestones survive and what do they look like?

The cemetery occupies a roughly square plot and holds around fifty matzevot. More precisely, 55 gravestones have survived, dating from the 18th to the 20th century. The oldest legible gravestone is dated 1834, while the youngest dates from March 18, 1939 — meaning the surviving markers span more than a century of local community life. Inscriptions appear in three languages: Hebrew, German, and Czech, reflecting the multilingual reality of Jewish life in this part of Bohemia across different eras.

What happened to the cemetery after 1939?

The date on the last surviving gravestone is no coincidence — it falls just before the outbreak of the Second World War and the intensification of persecution against the Jewish population. From the 1940s onward, the cemetery fell out of use and gradually slipped into obscurity. During the German occupation, the site suffered deliberate damage, and after the war, with no community left to care for it, the cemetery continued to deteriorate: vegetation overtook the grounds, and gravestones toppled and cracked.

How was the site rescued from decay?

A turning point came in the summer of 2011, when restoration work was carried out at the cemetery. During this effort, fallen matzevot were re-erected, while others were uncovered from beneath layers of soil and overgrowth. The reconstruction and repair work was carried out by the Jewish Community, halting the ongoing deterioration and restoring a measure of dignity to the site. Today the cemetery is protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic, listed in the national register of protected monuments.

Why is this cemetery worth visiting?

The Střítež cemetery appeals to anyone interested in history, funerary architecture, and the Jewish heritage of Central Europe. Walking among the old, partly moss-covered gravestones offers a sense of the quiet and gravity of a place that bore witness to generations of life and death. The surrounding woodland and nearby pond lend the site a peacefulness that contrasts with the dramatic history it holds.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the cemetery located? Southwest of the village of Střítež, in a wooded area between a former agricultural cooperative and the Castle Pond.

How many gravestones have survived? Around 55 matzevot dating from the 18th to the 20th century.

What are the oldest and youngest gravestones? The oldest legible one is from 1834, and the youngest from March 18, 1939.

What languages appear on the inscriptions? Hebrew, German, and Czech.

Is the cemetery maintained today? Yes, following a restoration carried out in the summer of 2011 by the Jewish Community, although it had previously suffered decades of neglect and damage.

Is the site legally protected? Yes, it is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.