Bosnia and Herzegovina

The history of Jews in Bosnia and Herzegovina encompasses both Sephardic and Ashkenazi communities, each contributing to the cultural tapestry of the region. Jews started to settle in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the expulsions from Spain in 1492. And their way to Bosnia can be shown through our film El Otro camino:1492.  In 1577, with permission from Pasha Siavush, they established their own quarter, known as El Cortijo (the courtyard in ladino) and the very first synagogue was built around that period called Il Kal Vjezu. 

On the other hand, first Ashkenazi Jews began arriving in the late 18th and 19th centuries, establishing their own presence after Bosnia and Herzegovina was occupied by  Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Jewish population experienced relative prosperity during the 19th century. It is when the very first cultural society which was open was Jewish - La Benevolencija (1892), which is still active and played a huge role during the Bosnian war. 

Our director Edward Serotta made a great film about La Benevolencija - Centropa’s most popular one and used worldwide. 

However, the devastation of the Holocaust significantly impacted the Jewish community, with a large portion of the population being tragically lost.

At its peak, the Jewish community of Bosnia and Herzegovina numbered between 14,000 and 22,000 members in 1941. Of those, 12,000 to 14,000 lived in Sarajevo, comprising 20% of the city's population. Tragically, during the Holocaust, around 85% of the Jewish population in Bosnia perished. Despite these challenges, the Jewish community in Bosnia and Herzegovina has shown resilience, working to preserve their cultural heritage and identity.

You can get more insights on life of Jews during the Holocaust watching the Hana Gašić's story and researching her biography and family photos.

Sarajevo, as people call “Little Jerusalem” is a home to the famous Sarajevo Haggadah. 

Centropa has been active in Bosnia and Herzegovina from the times of Bosnian war, when our director Edward Serotta created the “Survival in Sarajevo” exhibition, which became in inspiration to the film itself. After 2012, Centropa has been more active organising training seminars for teachers and Centropa summer academies. 

You can get more information about Jewish life in Bosnia and Herzegovina via our other project - The Lost Sephardic world. And in the book by Emily Greble Sarajevo 1941-1945.