In the heart of Poland's capital, Warsaw, a remarkable and often forgotten world is slowly being uncovered. At the center of this discovery is Warsaw's main Jewish cemetery, a place that has borne witness to centuries of history, tragedy, and culture. For years, this cemetery, which spans 83 acres and serves as the final resting place for over 200,000 Jews, has remained hidden beneath layers of soil, time, and neglect. Now, thanks to a group of dedicated archaeology students from the University of Warsaw, some of its lost stories are finally coming to light.

The Hidden World Behind the Wall

Separated from the bustling traffic of Okopowa Street by a brick wall, the Warsaw Jewish cemetery presents a quiet and somber contrast to the city's lively atmosphere. The cemetery, one of the largest in Europe, houses the remains of cultural figures, rabbis, political activists, and everyday people who shaped Jewish life in Poland. Among the many notable figures interred here are writers S. An-ski and I.L. Peretz, the creator of the Esperanto language, Ludwik Zamenhof, and Mark Edelman, the last surviving leader of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

While some of the gravestones remain in pristine condition, many are worn by time and neglect. As you venture deeper into the cemetery, the gravestones become increasingly weathered, buried beneath layers of ivy and the encroaching trees that have taken root over the years. Among the 200,000 souls buried here, an estimated 50,000 have no gravestones at all—victims of the Holocaust who perished from hunger, disease, or execution under the Nazis. These individuals were buried in mass graves that remain unmarked to this day.

The Silence of the Past

For decades after World War II, Poland’s Jewish history was shrouded in silence. With the majority of Polish Jews having been killed during the war, many survivors left the country, and those who remained often hid their Jewish identity under the rule of the Soviet Union. This disconnect between the living and the dead contributed to the cemetery’s gradual transformation into a wilderness. Trees that did not exist before the war now blanket the cemetery, and the falling leaves have created a new layer of soil that further buried the memories of those who perished.

However, in recent years, the cemetery has become the site of a new form of life—a group of archaeology students from the University of Warsaw has taken on the task of uncovering the lost history hidden beneath the cemetery's surface.

The Students' Mission

The project began in 2020, during the global COVID-19 pandemic, when archaeological sites around the world were forced to shut down. For the students, this posed a problem—they needed to complete their required digs in order to graduate. Faced with the shutdown of many international excavation sites, the students turned to their own city, asking the Jewish authorities in Poland if they could work on the Okopowa Street cemetery. Their request was met with resistance, especially from the Rabbinical Commission for Cemeteries, which is tasked with protecting Jewish burial sites in Poland.

Witold Wrzosinski, the cemetery director and a member of Warsaw’s small Jewish community, watched as the students fought for their cause. "The rabbis obviously said, ‘Go away, you’re crazy—stupid idea, digging around in a Jewish cemetery,’” Wrzosinski recalled. Despite initial opposition, the students persisted in their efforts, eventually convincing the Rabbinical Commission that their work could be done in a respectful manner without violating Jewish law.

Respecting Jewish Law and Tradition

Jewish burial traditions are sacred, and religious law dictates that the dead must remain undisturbed in perpetuity. With this in mind, the students spent time studying Jewish burial law to ensure that their work would not violate these principles. They returned to the rabbis multiple times to explain how their excavations would not disturb the original soil, demonstrating their commitment to following Jewish law in their efforts. Their persistence paid off when the Rabbinical Commission allowed them to begin a small-scale survey in the cemetery, under the supervision of Aleksander Schwarz, a specialist in Jewish cemetery and burial law.

Schwarz, who had previously overseen the excavation of burial sites at death camps such as Sobibor and Belzec, agreed to oversee the project. His credibility within Poland’s Jewish community gave the students the confidence they needed to move forward with their plans. Over the next few years, Schwarz trained the students on how to conduct excavations in a way that respected the sanctity of the cemetery while uncovering its hidden history.

Uncovering the Past

The students’ first major breakthrough came when they uncovered a cobblestone path beneath the surface of the cemetery. This path, which had been forgotten by time, was part of the cemetery's original infrastructure. The discovery was a significant moment for the students and the cemetery’s visitors, as it helped restore a piece of the cemetery’s history that had been lost for generations. The path now guides visitors between the gravestones, offering a glimpse of what the cemetery may have looked like before it fell into neglect.

As the project continued, the students were able to uncover more tombstones, some of which had been buried beneath layers of soil and debris. Many of these tombstones were inscribed with names and details about the people buried there, providing a valuable record of individuals whose stories had been lost to history. Some of these discoveries were particularly significant because the Nazis had destroyed the pre-war cemetery archive, along with many Jewish birth, marriage, and death certificates, making these gravestones one of the few remaining records of Polish Jews from that time.

Mysterious Finds and Remnants of War

In addition to the tombstones, the students uncovered many other surprising artifacts. Among the most fascinating discoveries were 19th-century gravestones that had sculpted images of squirrels and dragons—figures that were unfamiliar on Polish Jewish graves. The students and rabbis are still debating the possible symbolic meanings behind these sculptures, but their discovery highlights the diversity of Jewish burial traditions in Poland.

The excavation also uncovered remnants of war, such as bullets, bullet holes in gravestones, and even a pistol from the Warsaw Uprising, which was used by the Polish Underground. One particularly dramatic discovery came in July 2020, when the students uncovered an unexploded German mortar just seven centimeters beneath the surface. The cemetery was quickly evacuated, and a bomb squad safely removed the mortar without incident.

The Personal Connection

For Kacper Konofał, a 23-year-old archaeology student working on the project, the experience has been deeply personal. Konofał is writing his bachelor’s thesis about a collection of glass vessels found at the cemetery, which were likely used for the ritual washing of bodies before burial. For Konofał, the project has provided access to a world that only existed in the form of stories passed down from his great-grandmother. She would speak of her childhood friend, a Jewish girl, and of his great-grandfather, who had been forced to transport Jews to the Sobibor death camp.

Konofał recalls his first visit to the cemetery: “When I arrived there on the first day, it was something extraordinary—a calm, quiet, almost magical world behind the wall, in the center of a huge city.” For him, the cemetery has become more than just an archaeological site—it’s a place where history, memory, and personal connections intersect.

The Importance of Memory

Witold Wrzosinski’s personal connection to the cemetery is equally profound. Growing up as a secular Jew in Warsaw, Wrzosinski always knew he had family members buried in the cemetery, but he never visited their graves. Without a registry and without the ability to read Hebrew, it was impossible to locate specific graves. But after studying Hebrew at the University of Warsaw, Wrzosinski took on the task of cataloging the cemetery’s gravestones. He has since created an online database that has indexed over 82,000 gravestones, providing a valuable resource for those seeking to reconnect with their ancestors.

In 2008, Wrzosinski made a deeply personal discovery when he found the gravestone of his great-great-grandfather. The moment he cleaned the stone and realized that it belonged to his ancestor was an emotional experience that left a lasting impression on him. "When I stepped on that stone and I cleaned it, and I realized that’s my ancestor, I felt something stronger, different," he said. "Kind of a sense of belonging to this weird place—just an orphaned stone in a neglected forest, and it’s somehow mine."

Restoring Jewish Heritage

The restoration of the cemetery is not just about archaeology—it is about restoring the memory of those who have been forgotten. As Wrzosinski and the students work to uncover the cemetery’s history, they are also helping to revive Jewish heritage in Poland. This effort is part of a broader movement across the country to reclaim Jewish history and ensure that the memories of those who perished during the Holocaust are not lost to time.

Patrycja Dołowy, a writer and artist who once headed Warsaw’s Jewish Community Center, believes that the overgrowth of the cemetery is an important part of its story. “Nature heals what was so difficult, so unimaginable,” she said. “In my opinion, this overgrowth should be an important part of places like cemeteries. But there’s always a dilemma because nature is also destroying the graves.”

Conclusion

As the students continue their work, the Warsaw Jewish cemetery remains a place of deep personal and historical significance. The efforts of these young archaeologists, along with the guidance of experts like Aleksander Schwarz, are helping to restore not only the physical structure of the cemetery but also the memories of those who were once buried and forgotten. Through their work, the cemetery is transforming from a neglected wilderness into a place where history is once again allowed to speak.

Ultimately, the excavation of the Warsaw Jewish cemetery is about more than just unearthing physical artifacts. It’s about reconnecting with the past, honoring the memories of those who came before, and ensuring that their stories are told for generations to come. As Wrzosinski reflects, "We are not just digging to find stones—we are digging to find connections, to find the traces of our history and the people who shaped it." Through their dedication, these archaeology students are helping to preserve the past while also creating a meaningful bridge to the future.