Cēsis, Cēsu pilsēta, Cēsu novads, Latvija
one nine four one path
In August 1941, the Jewish community of Cēsis was forced to leave their homes. Most were murdered in nearby forests. A few survived but never returned. Their names were erased; their memory nearly lost.
The public art project “One Nine Four One Path” seeks to restore their presence in the history and daily life of Cēsis. It retraces the steps of those who once lived among us – now walked by locals and visitors alike.
About the Memorial:
- 72 concrete sculptures of shoes are placed in the streets where murdered Jews once lived
- Each sculpture is based on a pair of shoes donated by a present-day resident of Cēsis
- The empty shoes symbolize absence, but also presence – we remove our shoes when we return home
- The shoes rise subtly from the pavement, transforming into poetic stone sculptures, small monuments scattered through the city
- This is a path of remembrance, presence, and quiet solidarity
Artists: Krista and Reinis Dzudzilo
Curator: Elīna Kalniņa
Technical execution: Sandis Aispurs
Research: Anna Katrīne Sandlere, 2018 (Cēsis State Gymnasium)
Project completed: 2020–2022
“Welcome, you who were forgotten.”
