THE LEGAL SITUATION OF JEWISH CEMETERIES IN POLAND

Małgorzata Bednarek's book is a penetrating historical and legal analysis of the problem of Jewish cemeteries in Poland since the end of World War II. The author addresses the issue of their disappearance, reduction in area, and destruction. This publication is an important voice in the discussion on memory and cultural heritage.

• Historical and legal analysis of the problem of Jewish cemeteries
• The issue of the disappearance and destruction of cemeteries after World War II
• Desecration and building of cemeteries with residential buildings and other facilities
• Nationalization of cemeteries under the decree of 1946
• Treatment of cemeteries as ordinary investment properties
• Violation of law by public authorities in the context of allocating cemetery land for construction purposes
• New legislation, including the law on the protection of monuments, and the problem of protecting Jewish cemeteries

In her book, Małgorzata Bednarek analyzes in detail the process of nationalizing Jewish cemeteries under the provisions of the Decree on Abandoned and German Property of 1946. She describes how the State Treasury became the owner of most cemeteries and then transferred them to municipalities. The author points out that only a few cemeteries remained in the hands of Jewish religious communities, which makes their protection and preservation difficult.

The author emphasizes that the treatment of Jewish cemeteries as ordinary real estate has led to the destruction of many of them. She describes how these areas were used for investment and construction purposes, which was done in violation of applicable law. It is particularly reprehensible that public authorities did not apply the provisions of the Act of 1959, which regulates the issue of changing the designation of cemetery land.

The book also analyzes the impact of the new system in Poland and the new Constitution of the Republic of Poland on the protection of Jewish cemeteries. The author notes that despite the introduction of a provision in the law on the protection of monuments stating that every cemetery is a monument, regardless of its state of preservation, the situation of Jewish cemeteries has not improved significantly. The habit of treating these areas as investment and construction areas is still very strong. Dimensions: 240x165x37 mm. Number of pages: 604. Year of publication: 2020. Cover: paperback. Publisher: Austeria.

This publication is extremely important for understanding the problems of protecting cultural heritage in Poland, especially in the context of the history and memory of the Jewish community. This book is a valuable source of knowledge for lawyers, historians, urban planners and all those interested in Jewish cemeteries and their protection.