Wrocław Gravestones

Wrocław, Poland (formerly Breslau) Matzevah (Gravestone) files, ca 1900 – 1939


Among the holdings of the Jewish Historical Institute are a number of unusual and unexpected types of records with genealogical value. One such group is the Wrocław matzevah files.
Each file includes a sketch and dimensions of the gravestone (often including the horizontal base), surname and given name of the deceased, date of death and often date of birth, surname and given names of person who ordered the matzevah (and relationship to the deceased), date of the funeral, location of cemetery (town), name of funeral office.

Sample Gravestone Sketches

There are 623 sets of individually wrapped records in this collection. Prior to indexing, the special covering was removed, the given name and surname of the deceased ascertained and then written on the cover for future reference. The files were sorted alphabetically and a Jewish Historical Institute signature assigned.

View a list of all SURNAMES appearing in these records by navigating to the Wrocław Matzevah Gravestone Project Card.

For information on the indexing of Jewish vital records of Wrocław, please contact the Wrocław Town Leader.

How to locate copies of Gravestone sketches online


Collection of 18th to 20th century resources


Following WWII, the Jewish Historical Institute (JHI) acquired a group of archival files from the Breslau Jewish community. In 2012 the JHI selected this Breslau collection for digitization. The files include items from the late 18th century to the 1930s. There are cemetery records relating to all three Breslau Jewish cemeteries, Claassenstrasse, Lohestrasse and Breslau-Cosel, death registries, “Legat” files concerning money donated to the community in honor of a family member, administrative files and many others.

Peter Crosby (England) has created an index of this Collection which he hosts on his website: http://gen.scatteredmind.co.uk/JHI_105_index

Copies of records found in JRI-Poland searches may also be ordered directly from the Jewish Genealogy & Family Heritage Center at The Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute. Write to [email protected] for more information.