Jewish Budapest: Cemeteries

Topics: Introduction * About Jewish cemeteries * The most important Jewish cemeteries  * The otherJewish cemeteries * Architects * Want to know more?

Introduction

> A brief description about the history of Jews in Budapest can be found here

Cemeteries attract Julius enormous and, inexplicable, more the Jewish than the in Budapest also wonderful "normal" cemeteries. In Budapest, both Neolog (e.g. Kozma utca) and Orthodox cemeteries are to find.

The estimated 19! Jewish cemeteries in Budapest which still exist in 2011 (the location of 19 is known, 18 have been visited by Julius, one location is uncertain), but largely no longer in use, are all more or less neglected. The Salgótarjáni utca cemetery is in the worst condition, but is, in fact too late, now protected. Also other cemeteries urgently need maintenance or restoration. But first, conservation of what nowadays still remains of the cemeteries, something what not redundant is. And, the beautiful monuments deserve this!

About Jewish cemeteries

A Jewish cemetery often is called "the house of the living" - beth hachajiem '. In contrast to the "normal" cemeteries, is at Jewish cemeteries an "eternal peace". This mean no removal of graves, unless it's ordered by the government. Therefore: is a cemetery full, then either this can be enlarged or a layer of earth will be brought on the old grave and the following deceased will buried above. Jewish people will normally be buried as soon as possible after the decease, preferably the same day or the day after, unless it is the Sabbath or a Jewish holiday. According to tradition the headstones / monuments are placed about one year after the decease, this marks the end of the mourning process for, for example, a husband or wife.

Was, in earlier centuries, it use that, for marking a grave, only tombstones were used, that changed in the late 19th century and gradually also mausoleums and other monuments became more and more common. Also the decoration of the graves changed: In addition to the depiction of plant and animal motifs, what was an old tradition, also some tombs with human images were designed and these tombs nowadays are still be found on the Jewish cemeteries in Budapest. It is the noticeable influence of the adjacent "normal" cemeteries. Incidentally, this is only in use on the Neolog cemeteries. On Orthodox cemeteries you will only find tombstones!

By means of laying a stone on a grave, someone let know that he has visited the grave. This is similar to laying flowers on "normal" cemeteries. This laying of flowers, was originally not common on Jewish cemeteries, although in modern times   flowers are used increasingly.

Wearing a kippah or headgear as a cemetery is visited, was a rule for men. In Budapest this tradition is less strict, most men who work at the cemetery be wear only a headgear when visitors come, and often not even then. This also varies for each cemetery. You certainly can not be held accountable for not wearing headgear, but by wearing something on your head, you shows that you have respect for this old tradition.

NOTE:  Julius once read a story in which a rabbi  said that the neglect and overgrowth on cemeteries was caused, because according to tradition out of the tomb of a woman a tree will grow as a sign that she lives, and that it is not allowed to fell this tree. If this is true....(Photo: some graves at the Kozma utca Jewish cemetery of Jewish inhabitants of Budapest which were killed during World War II)

The most important Jewish cemeteries

(Rákoskeresztúr) Kozma utca cemetery

On this Jewish cemetery are to find the best examples of Jewish tombs, crypts and so on, dated from about 1900 to 1920. Many mosaic tableaux, magnificent Art Nouveau designs and various examples of the beautiful designs by the Jewish architect Béla Lajta (who also is buried on this cemetery), including the famous Schmidl crypt (1903).

A huge cemetery, at least 300,000 people of Jewish origin already have been buried here and it is also the resting place of many who were killed due to the Holocaust.

Salgótarjáni utca Jewish cemetery

The most dilapidated Jewish cemetery in Budapest, which, despite the overgrowth and vandalism, including grave robbery, architecturally seen,numerous gems contains. This Includes several tombs dating from about 1900 to 1920, designed by architects such as Béla Lajta and Emil Vidor.

In addition of these Art Nouveau monuments, the cemetery also contains more classic designs of mausoleums and tombs, e.g. designed by the architect Zsigmond Quittner.

Óbudai Jewish cemetery

A Jewish cemetery which was opened in 1922 and occasionally still is in use. Not the most interesting cemetery, but a few monuments. Architecturally seen the less important big Jewish cemetery.

A monument commemorating the disgusting massacre in January 1945 in a Jewish hospital in Budapest, is also on this cemetery to find.

Farkasrét Jewish cemetery

Another Jewish cemetery in Buda, superbly located in the hills and also still in use. The cemetery has a number of special monuments, such as a touching grave of a very young girl. One of the highlight's is the marvelous tomb for the Jewish architect László Vágó.

The cemetery is next to the large "normal" cemetery, where also beautiful monuments are to find. 







The cemeteries described above are all Neolog. Also Orthodox Jewish cemeteries are in Budapest to find and the biggest ones are:

Csörsz utca Orthodox Jewish cemetery

An Orthodox cemetery, closed since 1961, on the Buda side of the river, beautifully restored.

Among others, here is a monument to be found commemorating the massacre of Jewish patients, doctors and nurses on January 14, 1945 in the Városmajor Orthodox Jewish Hospital.

Gránátos utca Orthodox Jewish cemetery

Opened in 1922, 5.1 acres and approx 5300 graves. The cemetery is near the Kozma utca Jewish cemetery and not, as the name suggests, on the Gránátos utca.

It is a typical example of an Orthodox Jewish cemetery: plain, no decoration. Virtually all tombstones have Hebrew inscriptions.

Dohány utca Jewish cemetery

Mass graves from the horrors of the ghetto of Budapest at the end of World War II. Inaccessible to visitors, only relatives can visit th cemetery by appointment. In the near future Julius will write an article about this cemetery.

The other Jewish cemeteries

The above described cemeteries are all listed on the website of Great Synagogue. This website also mentions the wrong address for the Gránátos Orthodox Jewish cemetery.

However, it are not all the Jewish cemeteries in Budapest which still exist. At least 12 other Jewish cemeteries are to find in Budapest. Most of these cemeteries are not in use anymore, very small or barely been mapped. Often affected by overgrowth or grave robbery, and therefore often was little left of it. In addition, the observation that many of these cemeteries till 1950 not belonged to Budapest. It were the burial places of the villages surrounding the city.

During May 2011, these locations, according to the website of Maszit and own research, were mapped, and, where possible, photographed. These locations will annually be monitored on changes. Note: almost all of these locations are normally not accessible. 

Architects

It is difficult to get a good overview of which architects in the period from about 1900 to 1920 were responsible for the beautiful architectural designs on the Jewish cemeteries in Budapest. Béla Lajta is very often mentioned, as well as a few others. For many crypts, tombs, or mausoleum Julius was not able to obtain proper documentation about the architects and the designed tombs. By example: the beautiful crypt of the Grosz family is barely mentioned in the literature. This page is therefore not finished yet. On the page Budapest architecture: Architects around 1900 you are able to obtain more information about the most important architects around 1900 and whom have designed special buildings in Budapest.

Béla Lajta (1873-1920)

Regarding, architecturally seen, the beautiful Jewish monuments, the main architect in the period 1900-1918 and in consequence many followers. By clicking on the name you will get information about the architect and the buildings designed by him.


Béla Lajta designed estimated 35 grave monuments in both Salgótarjáni utca Jewish cemetery as at the Kozma utca Jewish cemetery and the designs are very different: The famous Schmidl monument, the stylized monument of the Sváb family, but also a fairly conventional design, with folk motifs, for another Sváb family. The tombs are the biggest part of the oeuvre designed by Béla Lajta.


Viewing the dates of the various designs, Julius comes to the conclusion that Béla Lajta quite quickly the influences of Ödön Lechner has put aside and followed his own ideas about architecture, so less exuberant decorations and more tight and stylized designs, but with the use of motifs from the (classical) folk art. In the buildings and monuments designed by Béla Lajta, also the influences of his many trips to e.g. Germany and England are to recognize.

Other important architects

Most of the monuments on the Salgótarjáni utca cemetery, designed till approx. 1900, are designs by the architects Sándor Fellner and Zsigmond Quittner (also the architect of the Gresham Palace). Among the others, the  tombs or buildings of the families Karpeles, Strasser and Schwarz were designed by Sándor Fellner. The tombs designed by Zsigmond Quittner includes the mausoleums of Mór Wahrmann and Brody Zsigmond

On Kozma utca designed Ignác Alpár the mausoleum of the Redlich Ohrenstein family (1902) and on Salgótarjáni utca he designed the Ignác Wechselmann mausoleum (1903). The Wellisch mausoleum was designed by Béla Barát  and Ede Novák (1915). Gyula Fodor designed the Konrad Polnay Csalad. The beautiful Grosz tomb, is possible a design by the architects Zoltán Balint and Janos Jambor.

The mausoleum of the Brüll family was designed by Kálmán Gerster, and the two lions in front by Alajos Strobl and, finally, the mausoleum of Gyula Glückstáhl was designed by the architects Tony and Pogány (neo baroque, 1915).

(to be continued)

Want to know more?

For those who want to learn more about Jewish cemeteries, Jewish inhabitants in Budapest and throughout Hungary, the following links are recommended:

Great Synagogue

This website provides information about Jewish cemeteries, supervisors, telephone numbers and so on.  Beside of it a lot of other information about Jewish Budapest.

Maszit

Website of the foundation that tries to protect the approximately 1600 Jewish cemeteries in Hungary. An almost impossible task, but it's a fantastic goal.

Jewishgen

An H-SIG website where you can search on e.g. Jewish residents from the so-called "Great Hungary", references to Jews perished in the Holocaust and much more. Julius is a fervent user of this website which provides so much usefull information. And, if possible, don't forget to donate some money, otherwise the work they do, can't be continued in future.

(Last update and verification of links: October 23, 2011)