Új Köztemető - 1

We made a trip, via three trolleys to visit the large Jewish cemetery  (Kozma utcai izraelita temető). For reasons that we never sorted out (that pesky language thing), it was closed. Perhaps we'll try again. But, to salvage the day, the Új Köztemető, the New Public Cemetery, is just next door. So, here is the first of a two-part report on our visit to this cemetery.



The tram stops in front of the cemetery gate. Once we walked across the street, we entered a place quite different from other cemeteries we've been in. Most noticeably, the main avenue  in the cemetery is lined with flower vendors.

The cemetery is filled with people cleaning the graves of family members. Located frequently throughout the place are these small benches where people presumably sit to visit with loved ones. Not all the benches are in a useable state, as you see.

There are some interesting statues found here.

The stones are probably very locally made since the road outside the two cemeteries is lined with stone masons.

Many stones were pretty standard sorts of thing, but others were unique and a few had small special bits inserted.

On this fine October day, the light filtered through the trees as the leaves change colors gives some of the statues a golden cast.

Some families invested in a family plot.




Others had curious wooden markers. This one has a propeller in it suggestion that perhaps a pilot is buried here. Since Endre died in 1945, possibly he flew in the air corp.

After a bit of research, E found out a bit more about these interesting markers:

 The  carved  wooden  grave  post  is  a  characteristic  of  the  Hungarian  Protestant  (Calvinist,  Unitarian,  and  partly  Lutheran)  cemeteries.  After  the  funerary  liturgy,  a  simple  or  an  exuberantly  carved  wooden  post  is  erected on the head side of the grave, which is not simply a wooden post but it is a fancy wood carving whose system of motifs is anthropomorphic and an iconic replica of the human body. As the manifestation of authentic folklore, it is a characteristic and imposing representative of folk art.

    Different designations are used for carved wooden grave posts in various areas of the country, like “fejfa-fejefa”(Transtibiscan  territory,  Upper-Hungary),  “főtől-fűtűlvalófa”  (Szilágyság-Transsylvania),  “gombosfa” (the  Danube-Tisza  interfluve),  “gombfa”  (Kalotaszeg,  Háromszék-Transsylvania),  “epitafa”  (Ordas―territory near the River Danube), “sögfa” or “süveg-fa” that refers to the headgear of a man  (Őrség―the South-Western part of Transdanubia) (Kós, 1972; Novák, 2005, 2011). The carved wooden grave post is not merely a simple grave-marker but it is also an imposing objectivised memory of folk carving art. Although the reformation had spread  in  Hungary  in  the  middle  of  the  16th  century,  Protestant  grave-markers  (other  than  crosses)  appeared only in the 17th century. Historical data prove their existence. The forms and ornamentation of wooden grave posts  developed  as  late  as  in  the  19th  century.  Their  range  of  motifs  used  in  ornamentation  preserves  archaic  elements, which recall the ancient culture of the Hungarians

More information is also found here.

Tomorrow, we continue to explore this enormous place.