Obj. ID: 48953
  Memorials  Holocaust Memorial in the Jewish Cemetery in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1999

To the main object: Jewish cemetery in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Memorial Name

No official name

Who/What is Commemorated?

Jewish Holocaust victims of Mostar

Description:

A large circular Holocaust memorial, with a semi-circular series of seven “mazevot,” inscribed with the names of Holocaust victims, is in the Jewish cemetery of Mostar. The circular platform is of three levels, expressed with a series of curved steps on the side facing the main cemetery, and the vertical “matzevot” on the side closest to the cemetery wall. Each “matzevot” is made of a concrete frame, rounded at the top, and painted yellow, with an inscribed gray granite plaque inserted within. A Magen David is inscribed at the top of each plaque.  The center plaque contains a dedicatory inscription and each of the other six plaques in an inscribed list of victims’ names. The center of the platform is paved with a large Magen David in the center of which is a small circular section enclosing a low mound with flowers.

On the side of the concrete frame of the last “matzevah” (to the right) is a plaque inscribed with the names of those who sponsored and erected the memorial 

Inscriptions:

Central plaque, in Bosnian and Hebrew.

In Bosnian:

JEVREJIMA MOSTARA
ŽRTVAMA HOLOKAUSTA
1941-1945

Translation: To Jews of Mostar, victims of the Holocaust, 1941-1945

לפיכך נברא אדם יחידי ללמדך שכל המאבד נפש
אחת מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו איבד עולם מלא וכל המקיים
נפש אחת מעליס עליו כאילו קיים עולם מלא

משנה סנהדרין ד׃ה

Translation: Therefore, man was created singly, to teach you that whoever destroys a single soul/ Scripture accounts it as if he had destroyed a full world; and whoever saves one soul, Scripture accounts it as if she had saved a full world / Mishna Sanhedrin, 4:5

In Bosnian:

Na početku je stveren samo jedan čovjek
da te poduči da ko god pogubi jednu dušu
računa mu se kao da je pogubio čitav svijet
a ko god održi u životu jednu dušu
ratina mu se kao da je održao citav svijet.
Misnai Sanhedrin 4:5

MOSTAR 5759-1999

Translation: Therefore, man was created singly, to teach you that whoever destroys a single soul/ Scripture accounts it as if he had destroyed a full world; and whoever saves one soul, Scripture accounts it as if she had saved a full world / Mishna Sanhedrin, 4:5 / Mostar 5759 - 1999.

Six "matzevot":

names of Jews killed in the Holocaust 

Plaque on the side in Bosnian and English:

ZAHVALJUJENO SE:

GRADU MOSTARU

AMERICAN JEWISH

JOINT

DISTRIBUTION

COMMITTEE

NEW YORK

KON MIHAJLO-VILI

MOSTAR

RAB. Dr. MORITZ

LEVI-ŠVAJCARSKA

RADOVE IZVELO

J.P. "KOMOS”

MOSTAR 1999-5759

ZAHVALNI JEVREJI MOSTARA

Translation: Thanks are given to: / The City Of Mostar / American Jewish / Joint  / Distribution / Committee / New York  / To Mihajlo-Vili / Mostar / Rab. Dr. Moritz / Levi - Switzerland  / works carried out by / J.P. "Komos” / Mostar 1999-5759 / Grateful Jews Of Mostar

Commissioned by

Jewish Community of Mostar

Assisted by The City of Mostar and American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee