GRODNO GUBERNIYA POLAND IMAGING PROJECT
SURVEY OF JEWISH CEMETERIES
by Heidi M. Szpek, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy and Religion Studies
Central Washington University
May 2007
Partial funding provided by: The Department of Philosophy & The Office of International Studies and Programs Grant Committee,
Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington 98926, USA
Back to Poland Imaging Project Cemeteries Index
Bransk
GPS: 52°44'N 22°51'ESize: c. 1.5 acre Number of matzevoth: <120Bagnowka.com: Bransk Gallery (photographed in 1991, 1999)
Image 1 (2005)
Directions: From Bialystok, take highway 19 south for 52 km to Bielsk Podlaski. In Bielsk Podlaski take highway 66 west for 24 km to Bransk. In Bransk, take 681 left (south) into town, passing the Rynek (town square) and continuing through town. You will cross the small Nurzec River. Turn left at the second intersection of roads and immediately pull your car into the small grassy area at left. (At left you’ll see a wooden fence with a small county road leads to Brzeznica.) (Image 2) The cemetery is not visible from where you’ll park. Walk left on a grassy path that will take you behind the fence and then turn sharply right. Continue on this narrow grassy path – fence at right, forest at left (Image 3). (This fence surrounds some sort of retaining pond.) A short distance ahead will open up to the Jewish cemetery of Bransk (Image 4). An old Polish sign (fallen in May 2007) marks the cemetery. You will first see the reconstructed symbolic cemetery (about 10 rows of matzevoth) (Images 4,7 [1,5]),. To the right of this grouping, go ahead to a Memorial (Image 5,6) and along the way at left into the forest are the remains of the cemetery with some matzevoth in situ (Images 8-10).
Conditions: The cemetery, though so close to the city, is protected because of its secluded location and because of the efforts of local historian Zbigniew Romaniuk. There is some garbage toward the back of the cemetery and the ever present odor of the nearby farm. The only threats to the cemetery are the vegetation and natural erosion due to the elements. The most intense wear of matzevoth are on those still in situ in the forest.
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