The interior of the pre-burial house from the new jewish cemetery in łódź. Remarks on its architecture, function and style

Abstract

The development of exact, natural and medical sciences that began in the Enlightenment affected many areas of everyday life, including attitudes to death and funeral rituals. This interest in issues related to the eschata was reflected in changing practice which significantly shaped legal regulations. The structure of metropolitan Jewish necropolises established since the late 18th century and transformation of cemetery architecture highlight the development of sepulchral culture, reflect functional innovations and stylistic changes, as well as the capabilities and requirements of Jewish communities operating in a non-Jewish environment. In the 19th century, through the introduction of new burial rituals, modern forms of grave monuments, representative buildings and park-like appearance, the cemetery becomes a representative place. This paper analyses the interior of the pre-burial house in the new Jewish cemetery in Łódź, taking into account the relationship between the applied architectural solutions and the purpose of the site, as well as the relationship between its function and style. In Jewish historical discourse, the issue of style as a tool for manifesting national identity or the degree of acculturation was primarily associated with synagogue architecture. The case of the pre-burial house from Łódź proves that research on ceremonial buildings erected in Jewish cemeteries may also help to determine the direction and nature of cultural transformation.