Beginnings often influence one’s later decisions in life. My story was no different. As a young boy, a teenager, I decided to create my own album with Chrzanów’s most interesting locations. I found history fascinating. After a few months of collecting information and taking photographs, I was almost done – the only thing that was missing was the mysterious “kierków”. I had heard from older residents that Chrzanów used to have a Jewish population, but I did not know who these people were. At the time, to enter a Jewish cemetery you had to climb through the gap in the wall. Armed with an analogue camera and warm clothes (as I conducted my work in wintertime), I set out for kierków. When I entered the premises of the necropolis, I saw a space with thousands of headstones. I immediately started photographing matzevot that captivated me with their beauty and mysterious letters I had never seen before. This was when I realized that the people buried there were residents of my town and neighbors of my grandparents and great grandparents. I wanted to learn about them as much as possible, to discern their names, professions, addresses, learn about their life, whether they were happy and what were their worries… The seed planted then has sprouted and continues growing to this day – to find out as much as possible about former residents of my – or rather, our -town! I still have the photographs I had taken that day; they remind me of the resolution I had made then. I was born in 1988 in Chrzanów. My family has lived in the town since the 15th or 16th century, so it was only natural that I became interested in the town’s history. Jewish residents of the town were inextricably linked to this history, which is why since 2010 I have been in touch with former Jewish residents of Chrzanów or their descendants. I am currently a PhD student at the Department of History and Cultural Heritage of the John Paul II Papal University in Krakow. I obtained my MA title in history of the Church at the same institution.
Kamil Bogusz
Chrzanów
