Jewish Ostrava

A Story of Growth, Hope, and Loss

Jewish history forms an essential and fascinating part of Ostrava’s story.

As a mining city, Ostrava initially did not allow Jewish settlement until the 19th century, making its Jewish community one of the youngest in Moravia — yet it quickly grew into the third-largest Jewish community in Czechoslovakia.

Follow us through the streets where synagogues, Jewish schools, hospitals, and bustling businesses once stood.Although few original landmarks have survived, the spirit of Jewish Ostrava still lives on — in monuments, Stolpersteine (memorial stones), former homes, and cafes where Jewish life once flourished.

Jewish entrepreneurs operated Ostrava’s most popular department stores, owned banks and hotels, and played a vital role in transforming Ostrava into a major industrial, financial, and commercial center of the young Czechoslovak Republic. Without the contribution of the Jewish community, Moravian Ostrava might never have become the powerhouse it was.

Sadly, Ostrava also witnessed one of the first tragedies of the Holocaust: the very first Jewish transport left from here, marking the beginning of the systematic destruction of Jewish life in the city.

Discover the lives and legacies of remarkable personalities who helped shape Jewish Ostrava — celebrated writer Joseph Wechsberg, poet Ilse Weber, Zionist leader Joseph Rufeisen, painter David Friedman, visionary filmmaker Karl Reisz, and many others whose stories are forever tied to our city.

You will also hear about Oskar Schindler, a controversial figure who lived in Ostrava before the war. His life reminds us that history is rarely just black and white.

Ostrava never had a separate Jewish quarter — because, in a way, the entire city was the Jewish town, shaped by the vibrant energy, spirit, and determination of its Jewish citizens.

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The tour lasts approximately 100 minutes and covers a distance of 1,5 km.
The price depends on the number of participants.
We can tailor the tour to your needs.

Burgertová Sylva
Guiding Services Coordinator
M: +420 602 533 890
E: pruvodce@ostravainfo.cz