Basel-Stadt / BS

Jewish cemetery of Basle City
Theodor-Herzl Strasse 90
4055 Basel

Tel.: +41 61 321 72 43
E-mail: igb@igb.ch
Website: www.igb.ch

Directions

 

The first Jewish cemetery of Basle was established in the 13^th century. It is mentionned for the first time in 1264, but was certainly extant earlier, since it constained graves from the years 1222, 1226 and 1231.The cemetery was located (outside of the City to Spalon, in

Arsclaf, "between Gnadenthal and St. Peters Square", beside the garden of the Custody of St. Peter) in the neighborhood of the present-day Peters Square, and was 

surrounded by a wall. In the middle of the 14^th century it was destroyed during persecutions of the Jews. A large number of Jewish graves were uncovered during the construction of a University of Basle building (Petersplatz 1) in 1937-39. At that time the remaining bones were interred in the new cemetery on Theodor Herzl St. During more

recent building in 2003 (excavation below this building under the

cafeteria) more graves were found, which were also transferred to the

cemetery on Theodore Herzl St. In the second half in the 14^th century, When the Jewish Community was reestablished, a new cemetery was dedicated in 1394 on Hirschgässlein 17, next to the Aeschengraben. However this lasted only a few years, since the Jews of Basle were forced to flee the city in 1397, being accused of poisoning the wells. The Jews did not return for several cernturies. The newly-founded Jewish Community of

1805 did not own a cemetery at first, but buried its dead in Hegenheim (Alsace). For a long time their efforts to establish a cemetery were in vain. The Basle city governement denied them permission until 1888, claiming "no sufficient reasons for making an exeption in favor of a religious community". Finally around 1900 the community was able to purchase a plot of land directly on the border to France upon which the ne Jewich cemetery was founded with the agreement of the Basle officials

1902/03 and it was consecrated in August 1903 between Theodor Herzl St. and the French border. In 1969 the funeral hall was rebuilt and it now serves the two Basle communities: Israelitische Gemeinde Basle and the Israelitische Religionsgemeinschaft.  

The cemetery has room for ca. 4800 graves, of which 3700 are now occupied.

Bern / BE

Jewish cemetery of Bern
Papiermühlestrasse 114
3063 Ittigen

Tel.: +41 31 381 49 92
E-mail: info@jgb.ch
Website: www.jgb.ch

Directions

The Jewish cemetery was built in 1870. In 1988 the Monument to the

victims of the Shoa was erected based on a design of Oskar Weiss.

Opening hours 

Sunday to Thursday: 9 AM to 6 PM 

Fridays: 9 AM to 4 PM 

Closed on Saturday and jewish Holidays.

Biel / BE

Jewish cemetery of the Jewish Community of Biel
Brüggstrasse 121
2503 Biel

Tel.: +41 32 326 26 61
E-mail: km.appel@sunrise.ch

Directions

Chaux-de-Fonds / NE 

Jewish cemetery of La Chaux-de-Fond
Les Eplatures - Crêt du Locle
2300 La Chaux-de-Fonds

Tel.: +41 32 913 30 47
E-mail: bertrand@leitenberg.com

Directions

Davos / GR

Jewish cemetery of Davos
Davos Islen
7270 Davos Platz

Tel.: +41 43 305 07 77
E-mail: info@swissjews.ch
Website: www.swissjews.ch

Directions



In 1903 the few hundred Jews living in Davos requested permission to establish a cemetery. Up until then it was impossible to bury their dead in Davos according to Jewish ritual and they were forced to transport the bodies to Zurich or ship them to their

original homelands. This was sometimes impossible and always very expensive. As such it was in the interests of the resort city of Davos to allow for a Jewish cemetery. However the local parlamentary party and the parish of Davos Platz felt that there was no space and that a cemetery rigth under the nose of the vacationers was to be avoided. There were other objections as well, mainly of a financial nature.

The second request in 1914 also met with little symphathy; now it was claimed that the establishement of separate religious cemeteries was to be avoided. However the Jews refused to use a general cemetery at all costs and maintained their wish for a separate plot of land. This particularly in the view of the general practice of removing the bodies after a period of time, which is expressly forbidden in Jewish law. In ancient Jewish practice there were no separate cemeteries. The body was interred in a family grave not far from the home. During the centuries of the Diaspora, subjected to persecution and dispersion, the Jewish cemetery became a place of anchor for the threatened communities. The were forced to fight for the right to maintain a separate burial place and there plots mirror the extreme crampdness of their living quarters. The land supplied was usually very tiny and seldom were they allowed to expand its acorage.

In 1919 finally the "Forest Cemetery" was approved by the legislature in accordance with the allowance of the Grison establishmentof a forest cemetery according to the plans of

Gaberel. However its realization lasted a full decade, since the sum that the Jewish community had to raise was exorbitant considering their possibilities and the paucity of interested investors.

In March 1931 the Swiss Jewish Concil of Communities entered into an agreement with the government of Davos Platz in which they agreed to use the land only as a cemetery. Finally the consecration of the cemetery was enabled. Now there are 176 graves, 50 of which are from before WWII. The 900 available plots have not been

used , due do the favorable fact that the number of Jewish (and other) patients in Tuberculous clinics have drastically declined.

The "Jewish Forest Cemetery" is conspicuous for its simplicity. The stones are almost all identical and stand in straigth lines facing Jerusalem. Flowers and other decorations are not part of Jewish practice today, despite the fact that funerals were very elaborate in the antique until ca. 100 AC. At that time a famous patriarch died, who forbid the use of any decorations on his grave. Since them all Jewish graves are very simple, according to the motto "in death we are all equal". The only decorations are the stones which visitors place on the gravestones - an old custom which is used as a symbol of remembrance. 

^{Source: The Davoser Revue, Vol. 70, Nr. 1, March 1995.}

Endingen - Lengnau / AG

Jewish cemetery of Endingen-Lengnau
5304 Endingen-Lengnau

Tel.: +41 56 242 15 46
E-mail: jules.bloch@gmx.ch

Directions

From the 17^th to the 19^th century two villages in the Surbtal, Endingen and Lengnau, were the only places where permanent Jewish communities were permitted on the site of

present-day Switzerland. Until 1800 these villages belonged to the Duchy of Baden and afterwards became a part of the Canton of Argovy. The first mention of Jewish in Lengnau was in May 1622 and in Endingen in 1678. However the purchase of land and the exercise of any kind of handiwork was forbidden the Jews up until the 19^th century and as such they existed on peddling, animal trading and building trade. In 1844 there were 44 animal traders in Endingen alone, while Lengnau boasted only 15. In 1850 there were about 1515 jews in both villages, while in the second half of the century their numbers were decimated by Jews moving into the cities after the general emancipation. In 1920, 263 Jews still lived in the two villages, while in 1980 there only remained three families.

In the earliest times, the Jews from these two villages buried their dead in a cemetery on a small island in the Rhine near Koblenz (known as "Judenäule") that the Jews of the Duchy of Baden leased from the German border city of Waldshut. In 1812/13  the Jewish Communities of Lengnau and Endingen were able to purchase the "Judenäule" for all eternity.

However the island was subject to flooding and was desecrated several times until it became unusable. The village Burial Society visited the cemetery once each year on a

particular date to maintain the graves. Towards the end of the 19^th century, this work was ceased and since then the graves were untended, the gravestones disintegrated and some stones were even stolen by neighboring farmers to be used for building purposes. In the 1920s there were only three stones left from the years 1690, 1699 and 1708. In

954/55 the Rhine river was regulated and the dead from 80 graves were exhumed and reburied below in the cemetery between Endingen and Lengnau. Also any remining gravestones were placed against the cemetery wall.

burial place of the Jews between Längnau and Endingen" by Johann Caspar Ulrich (1754). In 1750 the Surbtal Jews requested and purchased a plot of land for a cemetery between the 2 communities for 340 Gulden. The oldest graves are in the southeast part of the cemetery in the direction of Lengnau and the plot has been enlarged several times. According to an agreement from the year 1859, the Jewish community of Lengnau owns 2/5 of the land and the Jewish community of Endingen 3/5, while the new land that was purchased in 1963 belongs to the " Association for the Upkeep of the Synagogues and Cemetery of Endingen-Lengnau and consists of 48.64 acres. 

The cemetery is unique in that the graves are arranged in a North-South position. Men and women were buried in separate rows, with a total of 2700 persons buried there. On December 19, 1963 the governement of the Canton of Argovy declared this cemetery to be a National Monument. During the pasr years, most of those being buried in this cemetery were occupants of the Swiss Jewish Old Age home in Lengnau. 

The cemetery is situated about 1 km outside of Lengnau in the direction of Endingen 

Fribourg / FR

Jewish cemetery is a part of the City cemetery St. Léonard of Fribourg
Allée du cimetière 3
1700 Fribourg

Tel.: +41 26 411 29 20
E-mail: c.i.fribourg@bluewin.ch

Directions

The Jewish cemetery of Fribourg was established in 1904 and has a capacity for 150 graves, about 105 of which are occupied. 

Genf / GE

Cimetière israélite de Carouge

Jewish cemetery of Carouge (Genève)
Rue de la Fontenette
1226 Carouge

Tel.: +41 22 317 89 00
E-mail: secretgen@comisra.ch
Website: www.comisra.ch

Directions

Genf / GE

Cimetière Israélite de Veyrier

Jewish cemetery of  Veyrier (Genève)
Chemin de l'Arvaz 16
1255 Veyrier (Genève)

Tel.: +41 22 784 16 05
E-mail: secretgen@comisra.ch
Website: www.comisra.ch

Directions

Opening hours: Sunday through Thursday from 8 AM to 6 PM in summer and from 8 AM to 5 PM in the Winter. Fridays from 8 AM to 2 PM. Closed on Saturday and Jewish Holidays. 
Telephone Cemetery guard: +41 22 784 16 05 or +41 79 202 33 70

Transportation: Bus TPG Nr. 8 in the direction of Veyrier Ecole - stop is "Salle Communale".

Since the cemetery lies on the Swiss/French border, visitors are asked to have identity papers with them.

Kreuzlingen / TG

Jewish cemetery Kreuzlingen-Bernrain
Frauenfelderstrasse 63
8579 Weinfelden

Tel.: +41 71 671 17 51
E-mail: rolf@hilb.ch

Directions

Lausanne / VD

Cimetière de Cery / Friedhof von Cery

Jewish cemetery de Lausanne, cemtery of Cery
Route de Cery
1008 Prilly

Tel.: +41 21 341 72 40
E-mail: secretariat.cilv@bluewin.ch
Website: www.cilv.ch

Directions



• Visitors coming from Geneva take the Higway towards Lausanne and exit

at Blécherette, cross the Higway and take the first street on the left

then direct to sign Cery cemetery.

• Visitors coming from Vevey take the Higway-Exit Blécherette and continue to the sign Cery cemetery.
• Visitors from Lausanne continue in the direction of Neuchâtel until the

stop of the public transport services of Lausanne "Prilly-Chasseur".

Turn to the next street on your right and continue forward to the Cery

cemetery.

Lausanne / VD

Cimetière de Prilly / Friedhof von Prilly

Jewish cemetery of Lausanne - Prilly
90, avenue du Château
1008 Prilly

Tel.: +41 21 341 72 40
E-mail: secretariat.cilv@bluewin.ch
Website: www.cilv.ch

Directions

Take the Highway exit Crissier or Blécherette and continue in the direction of Prilly. From Lausanne itself drive towards Prilly to Prilly Centre. From the mainstreet leading Lausanne to Crissier continue until the traffic circle Coop Prilly Centre until the sign piscine (swimming pool). The cemetery is situated below the public swimming pool in the Avenue du Château with a large parking lot.

Lugano-Naranco / TI

Jewish cemetery of Lugano-Naranco
Via Pian Scairolo 43

6912 Pazzallo

Tel.: +41 91 923 56 98

Weitere Informationen zum Friedhof finden Sie hier

Directions

The jewish cemetery in Lugano-Noranco was established in 1918. His capacity is for 540 graves, 470 of which are occupied.

Luzern / LU

Israelitischer Friedhof Luzern
Friedentalstrasse 60
6004 Luzern

Tel.: +41 41 240 72 35

Directions

St. Gallen / SG

Jewish cemetery St. Gall
Kesselhaldenstrasse 48
9000 St. Gallen

Tel.: +41 71 288 30 25
E-mail: jgsg@gmx.ch

Directions

• Transportation to Hagenbuch cemetery: Bus 9 direction Neudorf
• Transportation to the New cemetery: Bus 4 direction Guggeien
• Old and New Jewish cemetery

Until 1867 the St. Gall Community buried their dead in Hohenems/Vorarlberg (Austria). However , after the legislature 1865 in St. Gall agreed - despite great opposition - to allow not only the establishment of a Jewish Community in the city, but also that the community set up regular Jewish prayer Services, a school of religious education for children and a burial place.  The Jewish cemetery of Hagenbuch was laid out in 1867 and by 1915 its 140 graves were all occupied. Thereafter a Jewish Cemetery was established as a new section of the City Eastern Cemetery, however completely separated from it. The Old Jewish Cemetery Hagenbuch is located on Hagenbuch St between Falkenstein and Rappenstein streets. The New Jewish Cemetery is located on Kesselhalden St and has 670 graves.

Vevey-Montreux

Jewish cemetery of Vevey-Montreux Le Vassin
Chemin de Vassin 27
1814 La Tour-de-Peilz

Tel.: +41 21 944 31 30
E-mail: secretariat.cilv@bluewin.ch
Website: www.cilv.ch

Directions

Winterthur / ZH

Jewish cemetery of Winterthur
Am Rosenberg 2
8402 Winterthur

Tel.: +41 52 232 81 36

Directions

Zürich / ZH

Cemeteries of the Israelitische Cultusgemeinde Zürich (ICZ)

Both ICZ Cemeteries. Lower and Upper Friesenberg, are located at the foot of the Uetliberg mountain.

Both cemeteries are open to the public and can be reached by public. Transportation: Tram 9 and 14 to Goldbrunnen Platz and from there with Bus 32 to Friesenberg. For the Upper Friesenberg, you can take the mini-bus Nr. 73 to the cemetery.

A list of the graves and a map of the cemetery is available in front of both funeral halls. In both cemeteriesJews of all shades of religious persuasion and origin are buried.

Open: 
Sunday - Thursday 8 AM to 5 PM, Fridays 8 AM to 4 PM
Sabbath and Jewish Holidays closed.

Jewish cemetery Upper Friesenberg (ICZ)

Jewish cemetery Upper Friesenberg
Friesenbergstrasse 330
8055 Zürich

Tel.: +41 44 283 22 22
E-mail: info@icz.org
Website: www.icz.org

Directions

The newer, Upper Friesenberg Cemetery has a large funerall hall and various other rooms for the preparation of the body for burial. The Memorial Monument for the Jews of the Shoa in front of the hall in a large stone cube and was designed by Susi Guggenheim-Weil. There exists a special path for Cohanim to visit the graves and also the hall is built so as to accommodate Cohanim.

Jewish cemetery Lower Friesenberg (ICZ)

Jewish cemetery Lower Friesenberg
Friesenbergstrasse 147
8055 Zürich

Tel.: +41 44 283 22 22
E-mail: info@icz.org
Website: www.icz.org

Directions

The older, Lower Friesenberg Cemetery has a handsomely decorated hall, richly ornamented with Jewish symbols. There are almost no burials herre any more.

The following prominent Jews are buried-

In the Upper Cemetery:

• BAUM FRITZ,founder and member of the executive commitee of Yad Vashem (1925-2012)
• WEISS BRANCO, maecenas of Art and entrepreneur (1929-2010)
• ECKMANN BENNO, professor of mathematics (1917-2008)
• FEIGEL SIGMUND Dr. jur., President and Honorary President of the Israelitische Cultisgemeinde (ICZ) (1921-2004)
• LEVIN-GOLDSCHMIDT HERMANN, writer and philosopher (1914-1998)
• SPITZER-SCHANER JENNY, surviver of Shoa and writer (1907-1996)
• LEISER ERWIN MORITZ, Film Director (1923-1996)
• KALEKO-ENGEL MASCHA, writer and poet (born as Golda Malka Aufen) (1907-1975) 
• KLEMPERER OTTO, conductor and composer (1885-1973) 
• HIRSCHFELD KURT, dramaturg and theater director (1902-1964)
• PULMANN ALBERT, Actor (1893-1945)

In the Lower Cemetery:

• SUSMANN MARGARETE, philosopher and writer ( 1872-1966)
• ALTEN FELIX, writer and author of "Bambi" (1869-1945)
• BEER-HOFMANN RICHARD, romancier and writer (1866-1945)
• SCHMIDT JOSEF, Singer (1904-1942)

Jewish cemetery of IRGZ (Friedhof Binz)



Israelitischer Friedhof IRGZürich (Friedhof Binz)
Weidstrasse
8118 Pfaffhausen

Tel.: +41 44 980 04 24
E-mail: irg@bluewin.ch
Website: www.irgz.ch

Directions

Public transportation:  Tram 3 / 8 / 15 to Klusplatz; Bus 747 / 753 / 786 to Pfaffhausen

Office telephone +41 44 202 56 69

Fläche:   7'090 qm

Binz is located southwest of the city in neightborhood of Pfaffhausen. Only strctly Orthodox Members of the IRG are buried here. The IRG split of from the ICZ in 1895 and establishedits own, cemetery, synagogue and rites. The cemetery was built in 1936, after the original Steinkluppe Cemetery was full. There is a funeral hall and rooms for Tahara, etc. A map hangs on the outside wall and a list of those buried is available also in front of the hall. Visitors must contact the offices of the IRG to obtain a key.

Steinkluppe - the Old cemetery of the IRG

Israelitischer Friedhof Steinkluppe der IRG Zürich
Am Steinkluppenweg
8057 Zürich

Tel.: +41 44 241 80 57
E-mail: irg@bluewin.ch
Website: www.irgz.ch

Directions

Agudas Achim Community

Jewish cemetery Agudas Achim

Goldackerweg

8047 Zurich-Albisrieden

Phone: +41 44 463 80 33

Phone: +41 79 583 92 50
E-mail: agudas-achim@gmx.ch

Directions

Public transportation: Tram 14 direction Triemli

Bus 80 from Triemli to Goldackerwew

Few minutes to walk

The Agudas Achim cemetery (Community of

Brothers) consists mainly of Jews with roots in Eastern Europe. It is an

orthodoxe community. Established 1913 it encompasses 6500 square

meters.

Contact the Community Office for the key.

Jewish Liberal Community Or Chadasch

Jewish cemetery Or Chadash
Hallwylstrasse 78 / Postfach 9126
CH - 8036 Zürich
Contact: Office JLG, Tel. 043 322 03 14 

Phone +41 43 322 03 16
Webseite: www.jlg.ch 

E-mail: info@jlg.ch
 

JLG Jewish Cemetery
Am Schützenrain
8047 Zürich

Tel.: +41 43 322 03 14
E-mail: info@jlg.ch
Website: www.jlg.ch

Directions

Public transportation: Tram 14 to Triemli from Triemli Bus 80 to Goldackerweg,a few minutes walk to Schutzenrain and to the cemetery

The Or Chadash (New Light) was founded by

liberal and reformed members and split off from the ICZ in the year

1978. The cemetery itself was only established in 1982. Up until this

time the members were buried in the liberal cemetery in Kreuzlingen. The

small cemetery is near in the forest and there is a memorial to the

Jews who perished in the Shoa designed by Felix Kohn. In this burial

site the liberal and unorthodox spirit of the founders is evident.

It encompasses 1'800 square meters and can be reached by public.