The ESJF European Jewish Cemeteries initiative has published online its detailed survey of Jewish cemeteries in the modern Volhyn region of Ukraine, carried out in October 2018.
During the preparation of the ESJF expedition, 58 Jewish cemeteries were discovered and localised using old topographic maps and Yizkor memorial books of local communities. Of these, 30 cemeteries were discovered and described for the first time.
The report notes that, the Jewish cemeteries in the region “are mostly lost.”
The survey results show that 42 cemeteries out of 58 (72.5%) were destroyed, while no visible traces of their existence survive. Of these 42, 16 cemeteries are built up and thus lost completely. In 26 places, probably, the burials are fully or partially preserved. Tombstones were found on a total of 16 cemeteries. However, in most cases only a few tombstones or their fragments are preserved, while the cemeteries were destroyed.
The report presents a comprehensive picture of the state of the cemeteries and also stresses which are in urgent need of fencing and protection.
The survey provides detailed description, positioning, background, and photos of each cemetery.
8 comments on “Ukraine: ESJF Survey on Jewish cemeteries in Volhyn available online”
Hi,
According to the introductory text, the Dubno county is included in modern Volyn. However Dubno is not present in the report, why is that?
Best,
Anna Jacobsson, Göteborg, Sweden
shalom,
i cannnot find Dubiezco, my mother’s place.
sima
jerusalem
Historically, the Kremenets district was part of Volhynia, yet the towns of Kremenets, Yampol, Vishnevets, Shumsk and Pochayev notably are missing from your report. All have Jewish cemeteries and all have been photographed. Our work on these cemeteries is detailed on:
https://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/Kremenets/web-pages/kjcp.html
The Jewish cemetery of Kremenets, in particular, has about 8,000 matzevot, 4,000 of which are visible and have been photographed and translated by the Kremenets District Research Group. The Center for Jewish Art also photographed notable stones in the Cemetery, including one that dates to 1375 (if our transcription is correct).
Here is buried פ”נ
An honest and righteous man איש תם וישר
Our teacher R’Nachman son of our teacher R’ מו”ה נחמן בן מו’
Avraham, died 27 אברהם נפט’ כז’
Menachem-Av 5135 [26 July 1375] מנחם אב קל”ה
May his soul be bound in the bond of life ת’ נ’ צ’ ב’ ה’
So, why are these notable cemeteries not included in your report?
Ron Doctor
President, Kremenets District Research Group
rddpdx@gmail.com
It is not “our” (that is, JHE’s) report — you can address questions to the ESJF, which carried it out.
However, if you read the introduction to the report, it is clear that it is a survey of the modern Volhyn region (oblast) of Ukraine, not all of historic Volhynia. Kremenets, for example, is located in today’s Ternopil oblast.
Yes, that’s true. However, the map that is displayed clearly shows Kremenets, Shumsk and Yampol. So, the ESJF report and the conclusions from it that you highlight are a little misleading. Readers will not note the difference between historic Volhynia and modern Volyn. May I suggest that you modify your summary to make this clear?
By the way, the work that my group did on the Jewish Cemetery of Kremenets was made possible by a grant from Hanadiv.
Ron
How come you didn’t include Novograd-Volynsky area? It’s also Volyn, it’s even in its name.
It would be because Novograd-Volynsky district is in Zhitomir oblast , not Volyn oblast
In the USA South, old cemeteries are left near old family farm or plantation lands, many lost. Not from this sad history to Jewish burial grounds. Sorry to read for some families the cemeteries degraded and or destroyed leave the only reality families lived in these areas. The pre 1933 on through 2018 total sorrow of these communities who lost everything.