Streets of Brest paved by gravestones from Jewish cemetery (Photo)

• 15.04.2009, 17:47

Gravestones from an old Jewish cemetery are scattered in one of the yards of Karl Marx Street in Brest.

In the place where a Jewish cemetery was situated once, “Locomotive” stadium is situated now. The cemetery was wiped out by the Nazi. And now gravestones are escavated, but some of them are scattered around and can get into the hands of vandals, the European Radio for Belarus informs.

The only local survivor of Brest ghetto liquidation, Arkadz Blyaher, has a document proving that the fascist administration ordered local inhabitants to bring headstones from the Jewish cemetery to the Gestapo. Part of the yard situated in the modern Marx Street was paved with them. The rest of the yard was covered with concrete slabs.

According to the information presented by “Brisk” association (meaning “Brest” in Yiddish), about 200 headstones have already been collected all over the city. They are kept in one of the forts of the fortress situated not far from the city. A small memorial is planned to be built near the “Locomotive” stadium. It will be a so-called lapidarium (the word stem from the word “stone” in Latin).

However, local teenagers have already started spoiling the unprotected stones. Somebody brought 4 headstones and left them near the concrete fence of the stadium. Parts of them are scattered and mingled with rubbish on the western and southern sides of the stadium.

Photo:

One of the best preserved gravestones

Gravestones lying in a pile near the hospital wall

Parts of gravestones near “Locomotive” stadium