The “Grodzka Gate – NN Theatre” Centre in Lublin is a local government cultural institution. It works towards the preservation of cultural heritage and education. Its function is tied to the symbolic and historical meaning of the Centre’s location in the Grodzka Gate, which used to divide Lublin into its respective Christian and Jewish quarters, as well as to Lublin as a meeting place of cultures, traditions and religions.

Part of the Centre are the House of Words and the Lublin Underground Trail.

The “Grodzka Gate – NN Theatre” Centre in Lublin is a local government cultural institution. It works towards the preservation of cultural heritage and education. Its function is tied to the symbolic and historical meaning of the Centre’s location in the Grodzka Gate, which used to divide Lublin into its respective Christian and Jewish quarters, as well as to Lublin as a meeting place of cultures, traditions and religions.

Part of the Centre are the House of Words and the Lublin Underground Trail.

Jewish culture in Lublin

Lublin was an important centre of Jewish culture. Jewish cultural life manifested in various ways – fine arts as well as photographs of Jewish quarter. Famous Jewish theatres, that collaborated with artists known in all Poland, performed in Lublin. What is more, every day Jewish press was published here and many Hebrew printing offices were operating.

Fragment Starego Miasta
Fragment Starego Miasta (Author: Lewensztadt, Henryk)

Fine artsDirect link for this paragraphGo back to indexGo back to index

The development of fine arts in Jewish quarter in Lublin  was double-tracked. One way of development was so-called traditional Jewish art, which means artistic craftsmanship, ornamentation of objects of cult and every day use, treated in a conservative manner, as it was passed from generation to generation. Within this movement, but as a separate issue, comes up funeral art. Another track of development shows up in 20th century, it is modern art, represented by several artists known by name: Symche Binem Trachter, Henryk Lewensztadt and Yehuda Razgour.

IconographyDirect link for this paragraphGo back to indexGo back to index

Examples of iconography that show Lublin Jewish quarter indicate how much Lublin changed since the wartime, when the Jewish community of Lublin was still alive. Images of Jewish quarter were made not only by Jewish photographers, but also by all those, who were impressed by the ambiance of the area.

Theater and cinemaDirect link for this paragraphGo back to indexGo back to index

Cultural needs of Jewish elites in Lublin were satisfied by Jewish theatre, Polish professional theatre and occasional performances of Jewish itinerant groups, that visited the city. There was also an amateur theatre which performed in Lublin.

Press and printingDirect link for this paragraphGo back to indexGo back to index

Also Jewish press was published in Lublin. First Jewish newspaper in Lublin showed up in 1916 and it was 'Myśl żydowska' ('Jewish Thought'). First journal 'Lubliner Tugblat' ('Lublin Journal') was published for the first time on January 15th 1918.

Already in 16th century Hebrew printing offices were operating in Lublin. Lublin printing office was one of the biggest centres of this kind in Poland.