War Cemetery No. 276, Brzesko

Behind a stone wall on ulica Czarnowiejska in Brzesko lie more than 500 soldiers from the First World War: Austrians, Germans and Russians buried side by side. Cemetery No. 276 is one of the burial grounds laid out by the Austro-Hungarian War Graves Department across western Galicia. It was designed by Robert Motka, and the whole ensemble – a gate with eagles, pavilions and a cross on a plinth – survives in good condition.

History

Buried here are 441 Austro-Hungarian, 3 German and 63 Russian soldiers. Most were killed or died in Brzesko's military hospitals and field hospitals between November 1914 and June 1915, when the front swept through the area around Tarnów and Gorlice. The cemetery belonged to District VIII Brzesko of the Kraków military command. Until 2016 it also contained a grave of communist security and militia officers. The cemetery adjoins the southern wall of the Jewish cemetery.

What to look for

• The gateway, with semicircular wooden doors and relief eagles. Inside the gate stand two contemplation pavilions.
• The central monument – a cross on a plinth in the middle of the burial plots.
• Officers' graves lined up along the wall on both sides.
• The end wall opposite the entrance, with an inscription in three languages. The Polish text begins "You who fell for your fatherland in battle" and reminds visitors that enemies and friends sleep together in this earth.

Tripto tip

The cemetery is on ulica Czarnowiejska, about 600 metres north of the market square. Allow 15–30 minutes for a quiet visit. It is a place of remembrance – keep your voice down and do not step on the graves. The neighbouring Jewish cemetery is usually locked, but its wall and gate with Stars of David can be seen from the street. The light on the gate is best in the morning.