Sport about the Jewish cemetery in Prostějov was noted by the US diplomacy

Prostějov - A prolonged dispute between Jewish organizations and the city hall regarding the memorial arrangement of the site of the former Jewish cemetery in Prostějov has made it into the regular report of the U.S. Department of State, which focuses on human rights protection around the world. CTK has learned this information from the official website of American diplomacy today. The former Jewish cemetery was destroyed during the German occupation, and on its site, where nearly 2000 Jewish residents of Prostějov are still buried, there is a park and a parking lot.

The U.S. Department of State briefly reminded the troubled history of the former Jewish cemetery in Prostějov in the section of the report dedicated to human rights and instances of anti-Semitism in the Czech Republic, along with its inclusion on the list of cultural monuments last year. It also briefly mentioned the current situation, where the city hall cannot reach an agreement with the Jewish community and the American charitable foundation Kolel Damesek Eliezer on how to rehabilitate the area of the former cemetery. The report indicates that the city hall wants to maintain access to the school and the adjacent parking lot.

The Kolel Damesek Eliezer foundation has been striving for the rehabilitation of the cemetery for some time. The Ministry of Culture included the former Jewish cemetery on the list of cultural monuments last year, despite the city's objections, which feared complications during the repair of utility networks. This year, it also declared 12 historical tombstones as cultural heritage. During the German occupation, people from surrounding villages took Jewish gravestones. They were used, for instance, in paving courtyards. Some have been found.

The Jewish cemetery, where there is now a park and a school, is only commemorated by a monument. Both sides will try to resolve the dispute with the help of former Prime Minister Vladimír Špidla (ČSSD), who is to take on the role of mediator. Mayor Alena Rašková (ČSSD) stated in an interview published on the city hall's website that she has already met with Špidla.

"The outcome should be that we two parties agree on what the conditions are for either side, what is non-negotiable, and what we envision. This should lead to the terms of reference for the architectural solution," said Rašková. According to her, further negotiations should also involve conservationists and the principal of the elementary school located next to the former cemetery. Rašková reiterated that even after the memorial arrangement, safe access to the school should be ensured.

Today in Prague, rabbi and philanthropist Louis Kestenbaum and the chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities Petr Papoušek met with Špidla. "Kestenbaum became acquainted with the report (from the U.S. Department of State) this morning, and according to him, it demonstrates that the project to rehabilitate the old Jewish cemetery in Prostějov is becoming an international topic," said Tomáš Jelínek, spokesperson for the Kolel Damesek Eliezer foundation, to CTK.

The Jewish cemetery in Prostějov was established in 1801 and was abolished in 1943 at the suggestion of the German mayor. Until the 19th century, a significant Jewish community lived in Prostějov. Notable individuals buried there include the ancestors of philosopher Edmund Husserl and writer Stefan Zweig.