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Origin and history

The Jewish cemetery of La Bastide-Clairence is an ancient burial space for the community of Portuguese Jews settled in the commune between the beginning of the seventeenth century and the end of the eighteenth century. Owned by the Israelite Consistory of Bayonne, it was listed as a historical monument on 1 February 1988. The cemetery has 62 graves, whose inscriptions were recorded between 1962 and 1964 by Professor Gérard Nahon. The oldest tomb dates from 1620, while the most recent one dates back to 1785. From 1659 onward, the biblical names (Jacob, Isaac, Esther, etc.) and the Hebrew calendar dates appeared on the graves, marking an open Jewish practice.

The Jews expelled from Spain in 1492 and then from Portugal in 1496 found refuge in southwestern France, notably in Bayonne and its surroundings, including La Bastide-Clairence. Protected by the Duke of Gramont, who holds the right of justice, the Portuguese Jews establish themselves there as an autonomous community, known as the Jewish Nation. The cemetery, originally used by marrans (Jews converted in appearance), became an openly Jewish burial place from 1459. In the 18th century, the community declined due to the economic decline of La Bastide-Clairence, and the cemetery was gradually abandoned.

The cemetery was desecrated in 1941 by German troops during the occupation. Today, it bears witness to the history of the sefaradic Jews in France, especially their settlement in the South West after the Iberian persecutions. The surnames engraved on the graves, such as Dacosta, Henriquez or Lopez, reflect this Portuguese and Spanish origin. The last grave dates from 1785, marking the end of the use of this cemetery before the emancipation of the Jews during the French Revolution.

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