Brzesko is a small town, situated on the Uszwica River, about 30 miles east of Cracow. Here Polish and Jewish populations influenced each other determining the economy and social life of the town over the centuries before the World War II. In 1880 about 67% of the population was Jewish and before World War II Jews in the number of 2000 inhabitants represented over the half of this small town population. Over the years the influence of Jewish community was clearly visible in its architecture. Jews founded their own commentaries and synagogues. The second Jewish cemetery founded in early XIX century is preserved and protected. In the area of about 15,000 square metres, there are around 1000 traditional tombstones with inscriptions mainly in Hebrew . There is also a memorial commemorating Jews killed by Nazi Germans in 1942.
