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ID: dok-000721-P

Iwieniec Cemetery

Iwieniec | Belarus
biał. Iwianiec (Івянец)
ID: dok-000721-P

Iwieniec Cemetery

Iwieniec | Belarus
biał. Iwianiec (Івянец)
Cemetery with Polish gravestone monuments. Documentation (23 cards) and a plan (stored in the ICDNS) have been made for the cemetery. Information about the cemetery has been published (see bibliography).

According to Lewkowski and Walczak, "the former parish and now active Catholic cemetery in Ivaniec is located on the north-eastern edge of the village (...), and is surrounded to the north and west by a new Catholic cemetery with post-1945 burials. The cemetery was established in the early 19th century. The present neo-Gothic church was built on the existing cemetery, as evidenced by a plaque built into the church facade to the left of the entrance. (...) The cemetery is situated in a flat area, roughly rectangular in plan. In the 1930s the cemetery was enlarged by an area lying to the north. A low stone wall has been preserved between the new and old parts of the cemetery. The cemetery is surrounded by a stone wall with two neo-Gothic gates, one on the axis of the church and the other leading to the new part dating from 1931. The whole area covers 2.7 hectares. (...) At a distance of 20 m north-west of the church there is a wooden cemetery chapel dating from the end of the 19th century. (...) The cemetery area is overgrown with forest. Good state of preservation. "The oldest gravestone, from 1842, belongs to Tomasz Rytwiński. It bears the inscription: "D. O. M. / TU SPOCZYWA / TOMASZ RYTWIŃSKI / LIVED FOR 35 YEARS DIED R. 1842 / 8BRA 18 DZIEŃ". Of interest is the granite, triangular-shaped, horizontal slab on the grave of Antonina Burakowa (d. 1886). The cited researchers write that "the newer, northern part of the cemetery is dominated by contemporary burials and those from the 1930s. There are many burials of soldiers of the Home Army and of the inhabitants of Iwieniec and the surrounding area murdered during World War II. Most of these burials are not specially commemorated, the circumstances of death are usually indicated by the date and the phrase "murdered", "died a tragic death", or "died on the field of glory". However, among the inhabitants of Iwieniec the memory of the victims of World War II is kept alive and they are able to point out and ch graves. "An example of such an inscription is: "STANISLAW LEMBOWICZ / LIVED 22 YEARS / FELL ON THE FIELD / OF GLORY DN. 14 XII / 1943. (A. K.)".

The aforementioned authors also describe a second cemetery in the village. "The defunct Jewish cemetery in Iwieniec is located in the south-western part of the town, 200 m south of the Orthodox cemetery and the Iwieniec - Kamień road. The cemetery is established on a flat area surrounded by small-town buildings. In a rectangular area of about 0.5 hectares several dozens of matzevot have been preserved, mostly in the form of granite slabs and the remains of two ohels. The matzevot are mostly overturned. The area is grassy with no trees. According to local people, the cemetery area was originally larger and extended about 40 m further to the west. In the 1960s part of the cemetery was designated for development and there is now a development of small residential houses in the area."

The researchers also describe the mass grave of the Jews shot by the Germans on 9 June 1942.It is located "300 m north of the city limits and 100 m east of the Iwaniec- Pierszaje road, in the forest (...). Established on a rectangular plan, the plot is fenced with a plaster wall and covers an area of 0.12 hectares. Inside the fence is a rectangular grave enclosed by a metal fence. In the eastern part of the cemetery is located a vertical rectangular plaque, made of black granite, on which inscriptions in Hebrew and Russian are carved."

Bibliography:
  • „Cmentarze polskie poza granicami kraju” , raport, oprac. B. Gutowski, Warszawa 2022 (maszynopis).
  • Lewkowska Anna, Lewkowski Jacek, Walczak Wojciech, „Zabytkowe cmentarze na Kresach Wschodnich Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej. Wschodnie powiaty dawnego województwa białostockiego (obecnie na terenie Białorusi), Warszawa 2007.
Author:
Bartłomiej Gutowski, Dawid Mendrek
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