Obj. ID: 40469
Memorials Holocaust memorial in the Jewish cemetery in Cernovice, Czech Republic, 2002
To the main object: Jewish cemetery in Cernovice, Czech Republic
Name of Monument
No official name
Who is Commemorated?
The Jews of Cernovice sent to Terezin and Auschwitz.
Description
A path leading to the gate of the Jewish cemetery of Černovice, founded in the 17th century, has been turned into a Holocaust memorial. The path crosses a little ravine that is spanned by a brick bridge with semicircular metal handrails. The path is lined with 53 irregular stones set on the ground but with their sides facing the path finished with mirrored surfaces that are inscribed with names and biographical information about Holocaust victims and survivors.
On the left side of the path leading to the cemetery are arranged 43 stones — one for each of those who were killed. On the right side, 10 stones are arranged to honor the 10 people who survived the camps. A single much taller jagged stone provides the name and purpose of the memorial. A small inscribed Magen David is set above a short inscription in Czech announcing the purpose of the memorial.
The stones reflect the light but also bear the names, dates, and history of each of the people who had been deported from Černovice to Terezin and then Auschwitz.
Inscriptions
On the tall entrance stone, in Czhech:
Památce
židovských obĕtí
z
Černovic
v době
nacistické okupace
v letech 1939-1945
Translation: Memorial to the Jewish victims / of Černovice / during the Nazi occupation 1939-1945.
The names on the stones belong to a few extended families. Those killed and honored include:
Max Pešek; Max Mautner; Arnold Benesch; Filip Neumann; Eduard Synek; Dr. Emil Teller; Rudolf Schneider; Vilém Nagelstock; Pavlína & Josef Vogelovi; Anna, František & Ota Vesecký; Hedwig Weinsteinová roz. Windová; Hermína Lustigová roz. Metzlová; Robert & Gabriela Lašovi; Rudolf, Vally, Otto & Victor Lederer; Emil, Elsa & Věra Metzlovi; Anna Glücková roz. Pragerov; Oskar, Erwin & Rosa Winterovi; Zikmund, Martha & Emilie Kohnovi; Emma Hahnová roz. Arnsteinová; Clara Oppenheimerová roz. Arnsteinová; Olga, Artur, Otilie, Ota, Jindřich, Růžena, Lilly & Hana Winternitzovi.
Those who survived:
Marta Fokshanerová roz. Windová; Ida Windová roz. Ledererová; Olga Krausová roz. Windová; Karla Windová; Ota Laš; Viktor Laš; Zikmund Laš; Marta Kottová roz. Lašová; Dr. Ing. Eduard Kohn; Helena Weinerová roz. Winternitzová.
Commissioned by
Jewish Memorial Černovice
Czech-German Future Fund
sub-set tree: 
Mirrored glass
The idea for the memorial began in 2000 with Michal Arend, whose grandfather belonged to the Jewish community in Černovice. The memorial was designed and built by the sculptor Michael Deiml, working with a civic association called Jewish Memorial Černovice, and was dedicated on November 19, 2002, on the 60th anniversary of the deportation of the town’s Jews to Terezin.
Before the dedication, the artist Michael Deiml wrote:
“These names belong to the victims of the Shoah, who either came from Černovice or lived there until 1942. The victims in the sense of the artistic concept of this new memorial are not only the people who perished in the concentration camps but also those who survived the genocide. This concept, which is based on the motto memento vivorum - the monument of the living, the Chernitz monument differs from many other monuments to the victims of the Holocaust, because they usually proceed only from the concept given by the motto memento mori (remigration). The celebration of the unveiling of the monument is organized together by the town of Černovice, the Jewish Community in Prague and the civic association “Jewish Monument Černovice” as its initiator.”
An exhibition on the local Jewish community was installed in the pre-burial house.
The establishment of the Židov Memorial Černovice was financially supported by the Czech-German Future Fund (ČNFB) in 2001. The contribution amount was CZK 350,000.
A monograph entitled “Jesov Memorial Černovice” was published in 2012 in the memorial. Author: Michael Deiml, ISBN 80-239-7872-1
Gruber, Ruth Ellen, "On the Road in CZ: an off the beaten track memorial in Cernovice personalizes Holocaust memory," Jewish Heritage Europe., https://jewish-heritage-europe.eu/2018/07/08/on-the-road-in-cz-a-holocaust-memorial/ (accessed January 4, 2023)
"pamatnik zidu v cernovicich" CzechTourism, https://www.kudyznudy.cz/aktivity/pamatnik-zidu-v-cernovicich (accessed January 4, 2023)
"Památník pro židovské oběti holocaustu v Černovicích u Tábora" bbkult.net, https://www.bbkult.net/cz/addresses/68845-pamatnik-pro-zidovske-obeti-holocaustu-v-cernovicich-u-tabora/ (accessed January 4, 2023)
"ŽIDOVSKÝ PAMÁTNÍK ČERNOVICE" holocaust.cz, https://www.holocaust.cz/zdroje/clanky-z-ros-chodese/ros-chodes-2002/listopad-9/zidovsky-pamatnik-cernovice/ (accessed January 4, 2023)
Deiml, Michael, Židovský Památník Černovice, 2012 (ISBN 80-239-7872-1)