Obj. ID: 48597
Jewish Funerary Art  Jewish cemetery in Druskininkai, Lithuania

According to ESJF European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative, the site of the former cemetery is located on the top of a sandy hill and surrounded by forest. There is a small wooden arrow pointing the way to a modest memorial, inside of which the outline of a Star of David with a small concrete plaque was erected. In the corners of the Star fragments of 3 remaining gravestones were placed. The cemetery was consecrated in the 1880’s during the founding of the town’s Jewish community and it was demolished in 1967. Today an area of 225 m² inside a 60m perimeter is under governmental protection, it is unclear if the cemetery historically was larger than this area. Amongst those interred in the cemetery is the mother of renowned Litvak painter and sculptor Jacques Lipchitz, Rachele Leah Krinski Lipchitz. Lipchitz’s father Abraham ran the “Central” Hotel, whose building has survived to the present day and maintains its original interior. In front of this hotel there is a small wooden building, where the young artist spent his childhood and in 1996 a museum was established in it. There are 4 gravestones on the site.

To locate the cemetery head northwest on Gardino street, turn left onto Baravykų street and then take the first right. Follow this road for around 700m, until you locate the cemetery on the right hand side of the road, in woodland.