Desecrated tombstone in 2 sections with carved scrollwork from Turek Jewish cemetery
Extent and Medium
a: Height: 12.500 inches (31.75 cm) | Width: 9.250 inches (23.495 cm) | Depth: 3.625 inches (9.208 cm)
b: Height: 10.875 inches (27.623 cm) | Width: 11.750 inches (29.845 cm) | Depth: 3.500 inches (8.89 cm)
Archival History
The tombstone fragment was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1990 by the Muzeum Okregowego W Koninie.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of the Muzeum Okręgowe w Koninie
Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
Scope and Content
Broken headstone carved with a pair of hands symbolizing the tribe Kohen recovered during a 1989 renovation of a building in Konin county, Poland. The tombstones, from the desecrated Turek Jewish cemetery, were broken and used as paving stones for the courtyard of the local headquarters for Organization Todt. This sandstone marker was mass produced in the late 19th century. Poland was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany in September 1939. Hundreds of Jewish men from Turek were taken as forced laborers. By January, all Jewish property was confiscated and the remaining Jews were confined to a ghetto. The synagogue was set on fire and destroyed. In October 1941, the ghetto was liquidated and Turek was Judenfrei (free of Jews.) Organization Todt was in charge of road and large scale construction projects, such as factories and fortifications, for the German Reich. By the early 1940s, it controlled over a million workers, slave laborers, war prisoners, and camp inmates.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Two broken sections of the same tombstone: a. Broken, small, left side section of a gray sandstone grave marker with 3 carved rows: at the top are 2 Hebrew characters pen and nun [for po nikbar : Here Lies], within an open scrollwork circle; below a narrow bar, then 2 semi-circular, ridged banners enclosing 5 oval beads; the third section has 1 line of Hebrew text. The stone is nearly straight across the top and broken at angles, but fairly smooth, on the other three sides. The right side of this stone appears to fit into the left side of stone b. b. Broken, small, right side section of a gray sandstone grave marker with 3 carved rows: at the top are 2 panels separated by a vertical bar; the left smooth, the right with a small section of scrollwork; a horizontal bar, then a semi-circular, ridged banner enclosing 5 oval beads; and then 3 lines of Hebrew text. The stone is straight along the top and right side, and broken, with fairly smooth edges on the bottom and left.
a. front, engraved : Hebrew text b. front, engraved : Hebrew text
Subjects
- Jewish cemeteries--Desecration--Poland--Turek--History--20th century.
- Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Poland--Turek.
- World War, 1939-1945--Cemeteries--Destruction and pillage--Poland--Greece.
- Jewish cemeteries--Destruction and pillage--Poland--Turek.
- Poland--History--Occupation, 1939-1945.
- World War, 1939-1945--Cemeteries--Desecration--Poland--Turek.
- Offenses against religion--Poland--Turek--History--20th century.
Genre
- Object
- Jewish Art and Symbolism