Bács-Kiskun County, Hungary

Jews settled in the area in the 18^th century.

Holocaust

The town of Baja was the main point for the concentration of Jews after the Nazi invasion of Hungary in March 1944. In the months that followed, 8,200 Jews were deported to the Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp in occupied Poland.

Present-day

Only a handful of Jews live in the area today. There is little trace of the Jewish past in the birthplace of Isztvan Kanitz, which was a small rural community near the Serbian border.

Visiting Bács-Kiskun County

Bács-Kiskun is a county located in southern Hungary on the Great Hungarian Plain.

Getting there

The nearest airport to Kecskemét is Budapest. From there take the train.

Getting around

Public transport is complicated so a car is useful.

Janoshalma Synagogue

Synagogues

Apostag The historic synagogue (1822) restored in 1987 is now a community centre (Iskola u. 5).

Baja The Neoclassical synagogue built in 1842 (Munkácsy Mihály u. 9) is now a library.

Kalocsa The synagogue (Hunyadi János u. 30) is now a library. There is a Holocaust memorial.

Kecskemét The Orthodox synagogue is now a photography museum (Rákóczi u. 2.) .

Kiskunhalas The synagogue built in 1860 is still a functioning sysnagogue (Beke u.). The Holocaust memorial dates from 1949.

Jánoshalma The synagogue (1860) was renovated in 2000 (Petöfi u. 3). It is now a cultural centre.

Ghetto Locations

Baja Served as a major concentration point, with 8,200 Jews deported from here to Auschwitz in 1944.

Kecskemét A major centre where Jews were gathered from surrounding areas, including Kiskörös, Kiskunfélegyháza, and Soltvadkert, before the deportation of over 5,400 Jews to Auschwitz in June 1944. Ghettoes were located the area around the former synagogue and in Cifra Palota.

Bácsalmás The local flour mill was converted into a ghetto, holding about 3,000 Jews by June 1944.

Soltvadkert The ghetto was situated near the market square.

Cemeteries

The following cemeteries have survived:

Baja (Fusfa u.)

Bácsalmás (Outside the village)

Jánoshalma (József Attila u.)

Kiskőrös (Drégely u.)