Krapina Jewish Cemetery

The Jewish cemetery of the Krapina is a part of the local municipal cemetery and was established in 1890. The site of the Jewish section was nationalized in 1958. In 2009, there were about 30 well-maintained tombs still standing. The tombstones have inscriptions in Hebrew, German and Croatian. The oldest tombstone dates back to 1887 and the latest to 1971. The ceremonial hall of the cemetery was destroyed around 20 years ago.

Krapina is a town and the administrative center of the Krapina-Zagorje County. The town was first mentioned in 1193 and its fortress was erected in 1258. The area was a favorite site for castles and country houses of Croatian and Hungarian rulers during the Middle Ages. In the 15th century, Krapina and the surrounding region were the sites of many battles against the Ottoman army. The development of the area began in the 18th century after the town was renovated due to a prior devastating earthquake. In the 19th century, Krapina received permission to hold six fairs a year. During that time, the town became a center of woodworking crafts. In 1910, there were 4,430 inhabitants in the town, most of them Croats. The Jews came to Krapina in the 19th century and were members of the Jewish community of nearby Varazdin. In 1931, there only 60 Jews and only 45 before the Second World War. After the war, only nine Jews lived in the town.