The Jewish cemetery in Żory was established in mid-1814 on an area of 0.84 hectares.
In 1834, a pre-burial house was built at the entrance to the cemetery. In April 1875, preparations began to erect a larger facility. In the summer of 1886, a new pre-burial house was put into use, located in the south-eastern corner of the cemetery.
It should be assumed that a total of about 1,000 people were buried in the cemetery.
At the outbreak of World War II, the necropolis was surrounded by a high wall. Its area was then 0.56 hectares.
In January 1941, the cemetery was purchased by the city and closed. It survived the period of German occupation practically intact. Only in the pre-burial house - used as a waste paper warehouse - at the beginning of 1945, during front operations, the roof was seriously damaged.
After World War II, the cemetery, left unattended, was gradually degraded. Some of the tombstones were destroyed or stolen. The pre-burial house was demolished, leaving only the foundations. In recent years, on the initiative of the municipal authorities, thorough cleaning works have been carried out at the cemetery and the wall has been repaired. About 75 matzevot have survived in various states of preservation.
based on: Sztetl.org.pl