Jewish cemetery in Trutnov

The Jewish Cemetery in Trutnov was a burial ground of the local Jewish community in the Czech town of Trutnov, in the northeastern Czech Republic, situated at the western foot of Šibeník hill. Established in 1870, it served Trutnov's Jewish congregation until it was destroyed during Kristallnacht in November 1938.

When was the cemetery founded, and why?

Trutnov's Jewish community grew alongside the town's textile industry in the second half of the 19th century. The cemetery was laid out in 1870 at the western foot of Šibeník hill, and fifteen years later, in 1885, the community also opened a synagogue on Na Struze street - a Moorish-style building designed by local builder Konrád Kühn on a plot of land donated by the factory owner Kluge. Together, the synagogue and the cemetery formed the religious and communal center of Jewish life in the town.

What happened to the cemetery during Kristallnacht?

On the night of 9-10 November 1938, during the nationwide pogrom known as Kristallnacht, the synagogue in Trutnov was set on fire and destroyed after standing for only 53 years. The Jewish cemetery was destroyed the same night. Following these events, neither site continued to serve its original purpose.

What can visitors see at the site today?

The former cemetery grounds, like the site of the destroyed synagogue, have since been carefully redesigned as a place of remembrance. On 11 November 1998, a memorial was unveiled there, commemorating both the burned synagogue and the destroyed cemetery. No original structures survive - there are no gravestones or matzevot left on site. What visitors find today is mainly a commemorative plaque and a space designed for quiet reflection, rather than a functioning cemetery.

Where exactly is the site located?

The former cemetery lies at the western foot of Šibeník hill in Trutnov, in the Hradec Králové Region of the northeastern Czech Republic, close to the Polish border. It occupies a quiet, peripheral part of town, away from the main tourist routes, and is mainly visited by people specifically interested in the region's Jewish history.

Frequently asked questions

Are there any gravestones left at the cemetery? No. The site was destroyed on the night of 9-10 November 1938 during Kristallnacht, and no original gravestones or structures have survived. The area was later transformed into a memorial site.

When was the cemetery established? The cemetery was founded in 1870, as Trutnov's Jewish community grew together with the town and its textile industry.

Is there a memorial on site? Yes. A monument commemorating the destroyed synagogue and cemetery was unveiled on 11 November 1998.

Is it worth visiting? The site is primarily of historical and commemorative value rather than a conventional tourist attraction - it appeals mainly to visitors interested in the history of Jewish communities in the Czech-Polish border region.