The first pleasant surprise was that last summer the municipality had done a cleanup. There are still stumps of the bushes and trees they had cut down. Some of the branches were still stuck in between the narrow rows closer to the high school in the background, but I had never seen the whole area like this in 2002, 2003 and 2008.
This made it so much easier to move around, though I am glad I came with boots.
Warning: The whole cemetery is full of big ants who bite.
The high school in the background will be 100 years next year, so it was also newly renovated.
The two remaining walls around the cemetery are in dire need of reparation. I was told the town is trying to secure funds for this from the European Union. I hope this is true and that they will succeed. The municipality had put up a new green fence towards the Christian cemetery.
In addition to the very big tree next to the entrance, there are now just a few trees standing, making the area open.
I have seen photos taken in 1964,now at the Yad Vashem archives, also with very few trees.
The cleanup was done last summer, and now - in May - vegetation is growing fast.
To keep the cemetery accessible, will demand an ongoing yearly effort.
But with boots and proper clothes, this time I saw more of the gravestones than I had done during my previous visits.
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