Paper short abstract:

On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork in two Polish towns visited by Hasidic pilgrims since the end of the 20th century, I would like to describe the processes of constructing the Polish-Jewish past and Jewish heritage, as well as the ways it is used by local authorities and social actors.

Paper long abstract:

The proposed paper is based on the ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Poland in two localities: Lelów and Leżajsk. Both towns are important centres of Hasidic pilgrimage movement, which was revived in Poland in late '80s and early '90s of the 20th century after a long period of discontinuity.

Hasidim come to Leżajsk to visit the grave of Rabbi Elimelech (1717-1786), located on the Jewish cemetery destroyed during the World War II, however preserved as a distinct area and renovated in the 60s. Whereas in Lelów the war and afterwar periods resulted in almost complete disappearance of the traces of pre-war Jewish presence. Therefore, the finding of the grave of Rabbi David Biderman (1746-1814) under the local store in the 80s significantly changed both the landscape of the town and the social perception of its Jewish history.

Hasidic pilgrimages described above started in Lelów and Leżajsk an important processes of negotiating the memory about Jewish communities. At the same time, Hasidic presence and restored Jewish infrastructure were incorporated by the authorities and social actors into local politics of memory. Patrimonialized and commodified Jewishness became a tourist attraction, which is performed by local inhabitants in many ways, for example during the cultural festival Ciulim-Czolent Day in Lelów.

By describing these processes, as well as by analysing local experiences of cultural difference in the contact with Hasidim and the memory on Jewish pre-war inhabitants of both towns, I would like to address the problem of constructing the Jewish-Polish past and its contemporary uses.