Czernowitz: the Jerusalem of Bukovina

Abstract

Cernăuţi, known as Czernowitz in Yiddish, gathered together important personalities in order to debate on the issue of the status of Yiddish. The power and the contribution of the Jews of Bukovina to the culture and spirituality of Bukovina – beyond the economic references, such as commerce, finances and banks – were really impressive, as a proof being the personalities asserted within the Bukovina area including at the top: Paul Celan (Paul Antschel) Moses Barasch, Jacob Eisenscher, Arthur Kolnik, Slomo Lerner, Itic Manger, Eliezer Steinbarg, Moses Rosenkrantz, Eric Singer, Rose Ausländer, Victor Wittner, Isac Schneyer, Clara Bloom, Alfred Kitner, Immanuel Weissglass, Alfred Gong, Alfred Margul Sperber. The atmosphere was highly flawed in the interwar period of strong manifestation of nationalism and anti-Semitism.

Keywords

• Bukovina
• Jews
• Czernowitz
• antisemitism
• Greater Romania