Chernivtsi's Ghost Signs

Chernivtsi / Cernăuți / Czernowitz, located in south-western Ukraine near Romania, was a multicultural city that at various times had large populations of Romanians, Jews, Ukrainians, Germans, Poles, Russians, and Roma. Chernivtsi was the capital of the Bukovina region of the Austrian Empire. In 1918, it was annexed by the Kingdom of Romania. Traces of its multicultural past, such as ghost signs, are still present in the urban landscape. The ghosts signs that I found are in Romanian, but in the first one there seems to be either a German or Jewish surname. (Thank you Shaun Williams for translations.)
most likely says: MARE DEPOZIT
BĂUTURI SPIRTOASE 
(Large stock of alcoholic beverages)


most likely part of the words: ȘCOALĂ PENTRU = SCHOOL FOR...

Department of Public Works
Electromechanical Enterprises
of
The City of Chernivtsi
Î.E.M.C. 
Operating at Bucurest St. No.1

 and underneath the top ghost sign some words translate to:

 INDUSTRIAL COMMERCE S.A...
Banking in foreign countries…
and a modern nation of iron (houses/cases/cabinets) 


These last two photos were taken in the old Jewish district. 

Comments

  1. Sam Roberts (Ghostsigns)December 10, 2012 at 12:01 PM

    I love these despatches from Eastern Europe, absolutely fascinating, keep them coming...

    ReplyDelete
  2. ChayDecember 10, 2012 at 1:11 PM

    One day I'm going to make it to Chernivtsi ...

    ReplyDelete

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