4 July Lublin

Today after our delicious breakfast at the Radisson Blu Jan Sobieski Hotel, we traveled south east to Lublin-- our route, the green line on the map.

In addition to our excellent Marcelina, we have a superb driver, Voitek.

He is also exceptionally courteous and helpful. Here he practices the romantic Polish custom of kissing Leah's hand.

Marcelina continued to give us both Polish and Jewish history in preparation for what we would see.

We also had  time for napping!

Before WWII Lublin was a most important center of Jewish life, commerce, culture, and scholarship for Europe from the first mention of a Jewish community in 1336 until WWII.  It was known as "Jerusalem of Poland" and the "Mother of Israel."

In the late eighteenth century, it became a center of Hasidism. One of the creators  Jacob Isaac Horowitz (1745-1815), known as the Seer of Lublin, lived and worked here.

Always an important center for learning and home for Talmudic schools and Hebrew printing houses,  a world famous Talmudic School, was established in 1930 by Yehuda Meir Shapiro (1887-1933).  The Nazis burned the books in the library and used the building as their headquarters. After the war it was used by Marie Curie-Slodowska University. It was returned to the Jewish community in 2003. Today, it holds a  synagogue and is being renovated for a Museum of Hasidism.

King Sigismund of Poland permitted Jews to settle near this castle that was used by the Polish Kings as they traveled the Royal Route between Krakow and Lithuania. Used as a royal residence and later as a Parliament, it eventually became a Polish criminal  prison. The Nazis used is as prison and execution site. More recently the Russians used it for political prisoners. Today it is a Museum.

Leah and Rainie posing in front but then Leah turned around and caught a glimpse of two so-called "naked men" sunning.

She walked over and met them for a nice photo op!

Today there is not much left of the huge exuberant Jewish neighborhood that was in Lublin, about 1/3 of the city's population prior to WWII.  The blue and white signs point out important landmarks.

This path leads to the Grodzka Gate.

This gate opened into the Jewish neighborhood.

This Busker was playing lovely mournful music. I asked if it was Jewish.He said it was old Polish folk music.

And we visited Teatr NN

The empty space covered with concrete

We wandered up and down the narrow stairs and hallways of this museum looking at the displays of the lost Jewish life--here the street names.

We peered at old photographs that show the rich and exuberant life of the Jewish community.

We studied the model showing the way the Jewish neighborhood  looked before WWII.

A guide explained how they have organized the information they gather about the people who once lived behind the Grodzka Gate.

The Nazis set up the Lublin ghetto in March 1941 and Lublin became the regional headquarters for Operation Reinhardt, the main effort to kill Jews in occupied Poland.

In November 1942 30,000 inmates of the Ghetto were sent to Belsec Death Camp; 4000 sent to Majdanek Concentration Camp. The Lublin Ghetto was liquidated in November 1943. The remaining inmates taken to Majdanek and Trawniki Concentration Camps where 42,000 were executed 

In "Erntefest" or Harvest Festival on 3 November 1943. The Nazi's erased all Jewish Culture and Society of Lublin.

It was lunchtime so we walked into the city.

We chose a Jewish Restaurant.

I

A Bevy of Beauties!

And older ones, too.

An interesting apple drink with an interesting hanging spoon 

Inside the restaurant were wall paintings, photographs and paintings, lace tablecloths, menorahs, and lovely old furniture.