About us

The Jewish cemetery as the most significant part of the Jewish religious community Namestovo disappeared in 1953, when the cemetery was flooded by the waters of the Orava reservoir.

In 2012, a voluntary initiative was created by Ing. Karol Kurtulik, who together with the architects, Ing. arch. Danica Holla and Ing. arch. Lubomir Holly, prepared a concept of restoration with a hint of the original fencing and the construction of a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. The initiative and the need not to forget those deceased citizens of the religious community Namestovo, led to the establishment of the Civic Association with a symbolic name "Remember".

Thanks to the great support of friends and supporters of this voluntary initiative, the cemetery was restored resembling its original fragments, which attracted many tourists from all over the world who visit this memorial every year.

Today the association's work reaches far beyond cemetery care. Pamätaj organises the “They Lived Among Us” exhibition series, installs Stolpersteine memorial stones, holds school discussions and public lectures, carries out genealogical research and helps descendants of Namestovo's Jewish families around the world reconnect with the places where their families lived. Through the exhibitions, more than 50 contacts with descendants have been established in Australia, Israel, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and the United States. The association cooperates with the Town of Námestovo, the Cultural House, the parish office, the Town of Trstená, the Žilina Region, the Federation of Jewish Communities in Slovakia, the Jewish Religious Community Žilina, Ateliér Hollý and with local citizens, volunteers and entrepreneurs.