Pause here a moment and reflect. This is the Baron de Hirsch Cemetery. Opened in July 1905 this Jewish cemetery holds stories of Montreal’s past.
The Baron de Hirsch Cemetery began because of immigration. More Jewish immigrants arrived in Montreal than anywhere else in North America at the beginning of the 20th century. The city’s small Jewish community had to meet the burial needs of many new mostly poor arrivals. This led to the creation of the Baron de Hirsch Cemetery. It became one of Canada’s largest Jewish cemeteries. It was built on swampland that is now in the heart of the city.
The cemetery is named after Baron Maurice de Hirsch. He was a European Jewish philanthropist. He donated a large sum of money to construct a Jewish school and a house of refuge in Montreal. The community decided to name the new facilities in his honor. This included the Baron de Hirsch Cemetery.
Over 65000 people are buried here at the Baron de Hirsch Cemetery. They include a Titanic victim. They include acclaimed poet A.M. Klein. You will even find a bagel maker resting here. Also Yiddish Theatre of Montreal founder Dora Wasserman is here. There are also other well-known Canadian authors politicians and artists.
The Baron de Hirsch Cemetery contains sixteen war graves. These are for Commonwealth service personnel from World War I and World War II. The cemetery also has memorials to victims of the Holocaust.
Note the sixteen memorials to Holocaust victims. The Baron de Hirsch Cemetery serves as a place of remembrance. It honors those who perished during the Holocaust.
Also part of the Baron de Hirsch Cemetery is the Back River Memorial Gardens Cemetery. It dates back to the late 1800s. It is one of Montreal’s oldest Jewish cemeteries. The history of Montreal’s Jewish community can be seen throughout its grounds.
A local family has deep roots here. For nearly 100 years the Lahaie family has maintained the grounds. Four generations of workers were honored. A section of the cemetery was named after them.
The Baron de Hirsch Cemetery represents Montreal’s Jewish history. It reflects the waves of immigration. It shows the community’s efforts to care for its members. It is a place of remembrance and respect. It connects past generations to the present.