Upper Silesian Jews House of Remembrance

The Upper Silesian Jews House of Remembrance is a new branch of Museum in Gliwice. It is located in an old funeral preparation house built during the 1902–1903 period according a design by a Vienna architect, Max Fleischer. Taking into account mass destruction of Jewish properties in 1930s and 1940s, this house is a really unique heritage site. The neo-Gothic, single floor building is made of decorative clinker bricks. The middle part includes a large hall, twice as high as the sides of the building. It is crowned with an eight-part cross rib vault decorated with a fresco depicting starry skies. The east and the west walls of the main hall include slender, sharp arc-formed windows with stained glass depicting geometric figures and three stars of David. Until the II World War, the site and the nearby cemetery were used as originally intended. During the war, the building was used as a military warehouse, however, it was not destroyed. After 1945, the cemetery and the funeral preparation house were used by the post-war Jewish Qahal functioning in Gliwice, whilst the side part was used as the residence of the caretaker. The unused building was deteriorating over time.

In 2003 the building was entered into the heritage site register and in 2008 the Jewish Qahal offered it as a gift to the City of Gliwice. In 2012, the president of the city decided to renovate the former Jewish funeral preparation house and to transform it into a branch of Gliwice Museum, eventually named as Upper Silesian Jews House of Remembrance in Gliwice. Renovation of the historical site was fully funded from the budget of the City of Gliwice. The mission of the site is to propagate knowledge of Jewish history in Upper Silesia and of the contribution of Jews to the growth of the region. In 2016, the Upper Silesian Jews House of Remembrance in Gliwice won the contest for the Best Public Space in Silesian Voivoideship in the renovated public site category. The City of Gliwice was awarded for "saving a site which is a living testimony to Silesian history, for its exemplary renovation and creation of a cultural and educational activity site and for ambitious plans to use the site as a museum".

The Jewish cemetery located near the former funeral preparation house dates back to 1902. It was created because the old Jewish cemetery located at ul. Na Piasku was filled at the time and the number of local Jews was increasing. The layout of graves is well preserved in the new cemetery. Over 600 tombstones remain intact, including wall-built family graves in historical, secessionist and modernist styles. The main avenue in the middle of the cemetery is adorned with tall trees. A monument dedicated to 58 Jews of Gliwice who died during I World War is located at the avenue. It is made of grey granite formed into a cube. The south-eastern part of the cemetery includes modern tombstones. The cemetery is used as such to this day and is one of three active Jewish necropolises in Silesian Voivodeship. The 2.5 ha area of the Jewish cemetery has been separated from the street with a brick wall with two large gates provided with forged, cast iron grates.

Opening hours:

• Tuesday–Friday: 10.00–16.00,
• Saturday: 11.00–17.00,
• Sunday: 10.00–15.00.

Adaptations for people with disabilities: The tour takes place on one level – the ground floor. The facility is equipped with a lift and toilets for people with disabilities. Additional information are available by telephone.