nanray

We're taking the Globus Legendary Danube cruise next May. This is a seven day cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest, with three additional days in Prague. Has anyone taken this cruise, or something similar? Any advice?

We'll have two free days in Prague and a half day free in Budapest. What can we see relative to Jewish history and culture in these cities in that short period of time?

aeiger

Hi
In Budapest visit the Synogogue and the memorial on the grounds. I have been there a couple of times and the memorial tree on the grounds is a fitting memorial. The interior is very nice also. It is, I believe the largest in Europe. In the courtyard are memorials to the 2000 Jews killed there in 1944. A Jewish Museum is by the Synogogue. The area around used to be the Jewish Ghetto, created in 1944 by the Nazis. Explore the streets, there are several Jewish business' in the area. Budapest still has a thriving Jewish community. The name of the Synogogue is the Dohany utca Synogogue which means it's on Dohany St.
In Prague, we went on a tour to Thierenstadt, which is the Jewish Ghetto. The tour was given by a survivor and excellent. In the Jewish area of Prague is the famous old cemetary and surviving synogogues. The Nazis planned to make this area a Museum of the Jewish race, so very little was destroyed. I hope I haven't given you too much information .
alan

BigRuss

The "synagogue" that aieger refers to is the Dohany Street Synagogue or Great Synagogue. The "memorial tree" is the Holocaust Memorial Weeping Willow that has the names of the Hungarian victims inscribed on its leaves and which was paid for by money raised by actor Tony Curtis. The Great Synagogue is the largest synagogue STILL IN USE in Europe. The garden on the side of the synagogue grounds contains the graves of the 2000 Jews who died in the Budapest ghetto. Only Poland had more Jews killed by the Nazis in the Holocaust than Hungary.

Thierenstadt (Terezin) is not in Prague, it is north of the city and was a transfer point for Germans shipping Jews to Auschwitz.

Josefov is the Jewish Quarter of Prague. It is in Old Town, a few blocks from Old Town Square.

ThinGorjus

Hello, sweetie darling. Terezin is a 45 minute drive from Prague, and is a must for anyone interested in the Jewish history of the Czech Republic. Your hotel can probably hook you up with a tour of this former concentration camp. Our Fodors friend Elaine recommends Whittman Tours. I booked Premier (or Premure, I can't remember the exact name)Tours, which I recommend. However, I felt a little rushed. They do pick you up at your hotel, which is a big plus. Here is a website related to Terezin: www.pamatnik-terezin.cz

The Jewish quarter of Prague, called Josefov, is right off of the famous Pariska Street. You go to a ticket window on Cervena Street to buy tickets for the various Jewish sites (i.e. Old/New Synagogue, Pinkas Synogogue, Jewish Cemetery, etc.), or you can purchase a ticket at each individual site. But, I think it is easier to buy a ticket for all of the sites at the ticket window on Cervena Street, that way you only have to stand in line once. The nearest Metro is Starometska.

What hotel are you staying at??

Cheers, John G.

ira

Good advice from John.

Giovanna

We stayed in Josefov on our visit to Prague last year and like the location very much. We visited the old synagogue and cemetary, both very moving. We wanted to visit the Pinkas but it was closed. As I understand it, it is completely empty and has the names of all the Jews from Prague lost in the holocaust on the walls.

Though it was not just a Jewish city, Ledice suffered a Nazi atrocity. All the males were killed in retaliation for the death of a Nazi officer. Nothing is left but there is a memorial to all who were lost. It is a short distance from Prague and may or may not be of interest to you, but thought I would mention it.

I remember during the war hearing my grandfather and great aunt and uncle (who were of Czech descent) talking about this tragedy.

nanray

Many thanks to everyone for all the responses. I've done a pretty good amount of research and was actually aware of most of the places you suggested, but the most important thing to me was getting actual recommendations. So, to reply ---

Alan, no this is absolutely not too much information. I'm especially glad to know that Budapest has a thriving Jewish community. I think I need to see for myself that everybody wasn't killed off.

John - I will google the Whittman Tours & add the Terezin website to my ever growing list of websites to look at. We will definitely do the block ticket for the Prague Jewish sites. Do you know whether we will need to take the metro from the ticket window on Cervena St. to Josefov, or can we walk? We are staying at the Mariott, Renaissance or Hilton. Don't know which yet.

Giovanna - I found Ledice on the map & will add it to the list of possibilities.

Thanks also to BigRuss (are you Tim Russert's father? If so, I should be able to work that to my advantage some way!) and to Ira.

Our free time in Prague will be Fri. afternoon thru Sun. AM. We won't want to wander too far on Sun. because we have to leave at lunchtime, but I'm wondering whether Terezin and the Josefov sights are open on Sat. during the daytime. Also, same question about Budapest, as our only free time there is Sat. afternoon.

Many thanks again, and if anyone else has something to add I will be grateful.

Nan

elaine

The Wittman tours also offer tours of the Jewish quarter in Prague, and we used them for that as well. It was very helpful to have someone with us to explain the history and importance of each synagogue as well as some of the tombs in the cemetery. By the way the "Spanish" synagogue (named for its architecture) offers services in English.

With only two days in Prague I'd skip the trip to Terezin. It's essentially a whole day, or most of one, and there is plenty to see in Prague.

I have a file on Prague; if you'd like to see it, email me at
[email protected]

gnrbernstein

The synagogue in Budapest is not open on Saturdays because it is the Sabbath. Its hours are T-R 10-5, F and U 10-2.

<font color=#990033>~gnr~</font>

capo

I recommend an excellent book by Matthew Reisz called <i>Europe's Jewish Quarters</i> (1991). No chapter on Budapest, unfortunately, but there is a chapter on Prague (along with chapters on Rome, Venice, Toledo, Amsterdam, Antwerp, London, Vienna, Copenhagen, Glasgow, Paris and Marseilles.)

nanray

Thanks again to everyone for the info. Regarding the ghetto in Budapest, will we be able to walk around there on Saturday? I mainly want to see the mass grave beside the Dohany Utca Synagogue. I'm a little concerned about appearing to be the &quot;ugly American&quot; tourist on the Sabbath, when in fact what I want to do is pay my respects (for lack of a better term).

elaine

I haven't been there and don't know if that cemetery is fenced and gated or not, but in my experience Jewish cemeteries are not open for any reason on the Sabbath or holy days.

ThinGorjus

The Jewish Cemetery of Prague is on Cervena St. (This is the exit of the cemetery, you enter around the block, next to Pinchas Synogogue.) So, no, you do not need to take the Metro. The Renaissance Hotel is within walking distance of Josefov, but the Hilton is rather far. I think the nearest Metro stop is Florenc.

gnrbernstein

This will sound like a strange suggestion, but email the Rick Steves site and ask them. In his videos of both Prague and Budapest, he visits the Jewish areas. They might know a local guide you can contact to find these things out or if there are organized tours those days. <u>www.ricksteves.com</u>

<font color=#990033>~gnr~</font>

nanray

Thanks to everyone for the info and suggestions. I will email Rick Steves. Nan

bckay1

When we were in Budapest last May the area with the memorial tree was locked and all we could see of it was through the gate.

Michal

I can heartily recommend Town Mikulov at Southern Moravia (Czech Republik, near motorway Prag-Viena-Budapest). Mikulov was center of Jewish community at Moravia. There is a lot of Jewish monuments (synagogue and museum, Jewish Quarter Trail, large Jewish Cemetery).More information on www.mikulov.cz

aliska

My mother and I are planning a 2 week trip in September to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Lake Balaton and Miskolc (Hungary). We are particularly interested in Jewish sites as well. We are not taking a tour, but doing this on our own. My mother was born in Hungary (Miskolc), we both speak Hungarian and German, so language is not a problem. Looking for hotel, transportation, restaurant and sightseeing recommendations. We are planning to fly into Prague, spend 3 nights there, get to Vienna (train??), spend another 3 nights, water traxi to Budapest, rent a car in Budpaest and visit Miskolc and Lake Balaton and spend 4 days in Budapest. Any information would be helpful. OK (safe?) for 2 women to drive around Hungary? Please share comments - thanks!

ira

Hi aliska,

&gt;get to Vienna (train??), &lt;

Yup.

Michal

Hi aliska,
if you are interested in Jewish sites, you have to visit Mikulov (South Moravia, convenien to Brno and Viena about 50 miles). You can get to Mikulov from Prag by train, spend 1 day and next day go to Viena by bus (regular service). Mikulov is main city of czech vinery too. It will be remarkable for you explore wine in a small wine-cellers, (9.-10. September is wine festival in Mikulov. Name Palava Wine Harvest Festival. Palava is mountains - area protected by UNESCO.)
Jewish histori in Mikulov.
Mikulov became a significant center of Jewish settlement in the early 15th century. Jews began to come to the town in larger numbers probably around 1421, when they were expelled from Vienna and Lower Austria. Another wave of Jewish population settled in the town after 1454, after expulsion from the Moravian royal cities (Znojmo and Brno). Jews settled in the area of Za hradem Street (Hinter dem Haus, Hinter dem Schloss) - today's Husova Street, which became the main artery of the Jewish quarter.
Thanks to Mikulov's favorable location, and also thanks to fortunate societal and economic conditions, the Jewish quarter soon became one of the most important cultural, legal, and political centers of Judaism in the Czech Lands. Even before the mid-16th century, the office of the Moravian Rabbinate was established, which oversaw all Jewish communities in Moravia until 1851. The cultural advancement of the Mikulov community was demonstrated by such 16th-century personalities as Rabbi Jehuda L&ouml;w Becalel, the legendary creator of the Golem; Rabbi Menachem Mendl ben Abarham Krochmal, author of the Jewish regional law (1648-1661); and &quot;miraculous&quot; Rabbi Mordechaj ben Abraham Benet (1789-1829). The Sonenfels Brothers came from the Mikulov Jewish quarter, of whom Josef especially made a mark on European politics as a representative of the Enlightenment, and an advisor to Empress Maria Theresa. Austrian President Adolf Sch&auml;rf (1890-1965) was also born in Mikulov's Jewish quarter.
Jews in Mikulov represented a major element of the local population, a fact reflected in their share of trade and (after the emancipation reforms under Josef II in the late 18th century) of industry. At the end of the 1700's, they comprised 40.6% of the population, in the mid-19th century 41.8%. In 1848 the Jewish community acquired political autonomy, and was headed by a mayor.

I´m sorry, I know my English is not well. If you want more information, you can see web site www.mikulov.cz or send questions to my e-mail [email protected] I´m redy to help you. It is honour for me. Michal