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Krasnik
Tourist Attractions
The Lateran Canons monastery complex: St Mary's Ascension church (ca
1469) with paintings by T. Dollabella and gravestones of the Teczynski
family and the monstery (15th-18th centuries); the Baroque former
hospital church of the Holy Spirit (1758-1761) and the hospital from the
middle of the 18th century; the ruins of the Zamoyski castle from the
17th century.
We know about the Jewish presence in Krasnik from accounts dated as
early as 1531, but the right allowing Jews to settle here was granted
only in 1584 (at once annulling the privilegia de non tolerandis
Judaeis). The local community, quite numerous in size (it sent one of
the three representatives from the province of Lublin to sessions of The
Diet of the Four Lands) was prevented from expanding freely. In 1654
attempts were made to limit the area in which Jews could reside to the
territory around the synagogue, but this was not observed. The former
Jewish quarter stretches around ul. Boznicza and down ul. Bagno. At the
outbreak of the Second World War, 5,000 Jews lived here, which was 40%
of the local population. They were all murdered in the death camp in
Belzec in 1942.
The Synagogue with an Annexe
Two badly destroyed buildings, the synagogue (erected 1637-1654) and
its annexe, are to this very daypowerful testimony to Krasnik's Jewish
past.
The Synagogues, photo: A.Olej&K. Kobus:
The synagogue is square in shape (each side 20m in length). Its
interior arrangement was typical: the prayer hall for men on the
north-east side, two floors on the south-west side; the lower taken up
by the vestibule and the upper by the prayer rooms for women. The single
floor section is apart of the original building. The vestibule and the
section for women were added later. The tablets containing the Ten
Commandments, the recess for the aron ha-kodesh and the remains of wall
paintings are all still there. The decorations once adorning the west
wall depicted Shor Habor (ox) and Leviathan (fish). The dome was
decorated with the image of an eagle surrounded by swallows, with an
etrog in its beak and asheaf of lulavin in its claws, asymbol of the
feast of Sukkot.
see also
Please join in our discussion forum about... Jews in the Lublin Region
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In 1945, the synagogue was designated as a
workshop for the local handicraft co-operative. It remained empty from
1980 to 1989 when repairs were undertaken, but after a new roof in
traditional Polish mansard style was put on, the works were
unfortunately discontinued.
The building on the right side is an addition to the synagogue and
was used as an additional house of prayer and study. It was erected to
support the main synagogue, which was not able to accommodate all of the
worshippers. Construction took from 1823 to 1857. In 1948 a purchasing
centre for agricultural products was organised there, and in 1966 some
of the windows were bricked up. The additional synagogue was almost
equal in size to the original one (19.5m by 22m). The interior was also
laid out in similar fashion, with one and two storied sections. Even the
framework of the bimah (four columns connected by archivaults) and the
recess for the aron ha-kodesh survive. In the 1990s repairs to the
annexe were started and soon abandoned, but not before the windows were
faultily installed. It is not easy to have a look around either
structure and it is advisable to do it in the company of Mr Chrusciel
(his address is given below), as it is not obvious which parts have been
repaired and strengthened and which still might give way at any moment.
To get to the synagogue from the annexe, there is a recently
constructed underground passage, which lends atmosphere to the journey,
particularly as the cellars are shrouded in total darkness. If the
repair work is ever completed, the monument complex in Krasnik might
well become a major tourist attraction.
The synagogue and its annexe are in ul. Boznicza, very close to the
square, on the left of the supermarket. The key is with Mr Chrusciel,
ul. Boznicza 12 (please ring), phone +81 8843891.
The Mikvah and the Cemetery
The building which housed the ritual baths is not far from the
synagogue. Just go down ul. Boznicza and after crossing ul. Lubelska
walk along ul. Bagno. It is a large and easily recognisable edifice
which has been converted into an old people's home. The same road goes
on further to the right (1 km) towards the cemetery, honoured today with
a memorial to the Jews of Krasnik. Unfortunately, most of the matzevot
were stolen after the war and today serve as paving stones and steps.
You are welcome to discuss about "Krasnik"
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