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Zamosc - Szczebreszyn - Treblinka - Kosow Lacki
From our
Hotel we walked the short distance to ul. I. L. Pereca, the street named
after the famous writer. The building pictured was the (unmarked)
birthplace of I. L. Peretz, and is now a sports shop. We stopped to hear
Robin read from a selection of Peretz’s autobiographical writings.
Because I.
L. Peretz had described the town of Szczebreszyn in his work, we decided to
visit. We quickly located the synagogue, now a multi-purpose cultural
centre. The main sanctuary was well restored, apparently now used as a
lecture space. Once more struggling up a steep hill we managed to
find the familiar overgrown Jewish cemetery. Several memorials had been
installed among the tombstones, many of which appeared to have been cleaned
recently, perhaps by survivors of the local Hassidic sect.
The next
day we set off early for Warsaw, travelling via Treblinka. Dr Edward
Kopowka, director of the site, greeted us there. As can be seen from the
photomontage, Treblinka is certainly the most impressive memorial
constructed at an Operation Reinhard camp.
Shortly
after leaving Treblinka we stopped off in Kosow Lacki. Dr Kopowka pointed
out to us the dilapidated former synagogue and the completely destroyed
Jewish cemetery. We passed through Sokolow as well, formerly home to a
prosperous Jewish Community. After the breakout at Treblinka, the Nazis
responded by blowing up the main synagogue.
