Old Jewish Cemetery
Photo added by Bearded Graver

Old Jewish Cemetery

Also known as Vecie Ebreju kapi

Riga, Riga, Riga, Latvia

Add cemetery photos

About

  • Get directions Lauvas iela
    Riga, Riga, Latvia
    Coordinates: 56.93822, 24.15370
  • Cemetery ID:

Members have Contributed

Advertisement

Photos

NOTE – INDIVIDUAL BURIALS WERE NOT DONE IN THIS CEMETERY DURING THE GERMAN OCCUPATION IN WWII OTHER THAN TWO SEPERATE MASS GRAVES FOR THE 30 NOV/DEC 8, 1941 AND 31 OCT, 1942 MASS EXECUTIONS. ALL OTHER BURIALS DURING THIS TIME FRAME WERE MASS BURIALS IN

Bikernieku Meza

The cemetery dates back to 1725 and was extended in 1868 and again in 1896. Prior to the establishment of the cemetery, bodies were transported to the closest Jewish cemetery in Jelgava, over 40km away.

German forces occupied Riga in 1941 and the cemetery became a mass burial ground for over 1,000 Jews killed in the streets of the Ghetto.

The cemetery contained two seperate mass graves for the Nov 30, 1941/8 December, 1941 executions and the Oct 31, 1942 executions.

Nov 30, 1941/8 December, 1941 was the clearing of the ghetto of Latvian Jews to make place for Germans coming in on the trains. Most of the occupants were marched, killed and buried in Rumbula, however occupants who resisted and were killed in the ghetto were buried in a mass grave in this cemetery.

After World War II, the Russian occupiers destroyed the hundred or so remaining grave stones. The wall surrounding it collapsed and the site went uncared for. In the 1960's it was turned into the 'Park of the Communist Brigades'.

In 1992 it was renamed "The Old Jewish Cemetery" and has a monument with the name on it on the Lauvas iela edge of the park and a "Star of David" monument on the corner of Lîksnas iela and Ebreju iela.

In 2011 a podium with a scroll giving the history of the cemetery was placed near the Star of David.


The new Jewish burial ground Jaunie ebreju kapi currently in use.





















NOTE – INDIVIDUAL BURIALS WERE NOT DONE IN THIS CEMETERY DURING THE GERMAN OCCUPATION IN WWII OTHER THAN TWO SEPERATE MASS GRAVES FOR THE 30 NOV/DEC 8, 1941 AND 31 OCT, 1942 MASS EXECUTIONS. ALL OTHER BURIALS DURING THIS TIME FRAME WERE MASS BURIALS IN

Bikernieku Meza

The cemetery dates back to 1725 and was extended in 1868 and again in 1896. Prior to the establishment of the cemetery, bodies were transported to the closest Jewish cemetery in Jelgava, over 40km away.

German forces occupied Riga in 1941 and the cemetery became a mass burial ground for over 1,000 Jews killed in the streets of the Ghetto.

The cemetery contained two seperate mass graves for the Nov 30, 1941/8 December, 1941 executions and the Oct 31, 1942 executions.

Nov 30, 1941/8 December, 1941 was the clearing of the ghetto of Latvian Jews to make place for Germans coming in on the trains. Most of the occupants were marched, killed and buried in Rumbula, however occupants who resisted and were killed in the ghetto were buried in a mass grave in this cemetery.

After World War II, the Russian occupiers destroyed the hundred or so remaining grave stones. The wall surrounding it collapsed and the site went uncared for. In the 1960's it was turned into the 'Park of the Communist Brigades'.

In 1992 it was renamed "The Old Jewish Cemetery" and has a monument with the name on it on the Lauvas iela edge of the park and a "Star of David" monument on the corner of Lîksnas iela and Ebreju iela.

In 2011 a podium with a scroll giving the history of the cemetery was placed near the Star of David.


The new Jewish burial ground Jaunie ebreju kapi currently in use.





















Nearby cemeteries

Ivana Cemetery

Riga, Riga, Riga, Latvia

  • 128
  • 93%
  • 73%
0.4 mi
Matisa kapi

Riga, Riga, Riga, Latvia

  • 14
  • 50%
  • 7%
0.6 mi
Riga Cathedral

Riga, Riga, Riga, Latvia

  • 1
  • 100%
  • 0%
2 mi
Pokrova kapi

Riga, Riga, Riga, Latvia

  • 351
  • 82%
  • 0%
2.1 mi
  • Added: 1 Dec 2011
  • Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 2428446