Alternate names: Bistrița [Rom], Besztercze [Hun], Bistrits and ביסטריץ [Yid], Bistritz [Ger], Bystrzyca [Pol], Nösen, Alsobudak, Besztec, Beszterce. 47°08' N, 24°29' E, 48 miles ENE of Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár), 29 miles E of Dej (Dés and capital city of Bistrița-Năsăud County Jewish population: .378 (in 1880), 2,018 (in 1920). Situated on the Bistriţa Rive, the cityadministers six villages: Ghinda, Sărata, Sigmir, Slătiniţa, Unirea and Viişoara.
Bistrits; ir vej-em be-yisrale
Pinkas HaKehilot, Romania, Vol. 2 (1980), p. 101: "Bistrita" JewishGen Hungary SIG JewishGen Romania SIG - Wikipedia. [Jan 2012]
CEMETERY:
BISTRITA I: Bistrita County
The cemetery is located in Bistrita, Ghinzii Str. no. 48, cod 4400, judet Bistrita, Romania at 4708 2429, 202.0 miles NNW of Bucharest and 123 km from Cluj. The alternate names are Besztercze (Hungarian) and Bistritz (German.) Present town population is 25,000-100,000 with 10-100 Jews.
- Mayor Moldovan Vasile, Unirii Square, no. 1.
- The Jewish Community of Bistrita, Gr. Balan Str., 71, cod 4400, Bistrita, Romania
- The Federation of The Jewish Communities of Romania, Sf. Vineri Str. no. 9-11, sect. 3, Bucharest, Romania
- "Dr. Moshe Carmilly" Institute for Hebrew and Jewish History, Universitatii Str. no. 7-9, room 61, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Director: Ladislau Gyemant, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Key holder and caretaker: Turc Ioan, Ghinzii Str., no. 48, Bistrita
The Jewish population by census was 1869-1870 registered 229, by 1880 census was 378, by 1900 census was 1316 and by 1930 census was 2177. Jews were admitted in the town only after 1850. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the ghetto and on June 2 and 6 were deported to Auschwitz. Some Jews from this area were gathered and killed near Bistrita in a place currently called "Statiunea Pomicola." Noteworthy Jewish resident of the community was Spitz Meir (1888-1944), rabbi in Bistrita from 1912 to 1944. The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established in 19th century. Last known burial was 20th century.
The isolated suburban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by a public road, access is open with permission. A fence with a gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 300 m x 100m. 500-5000 stones are visible. 100-500 stones are not in original location. 25%-50% of the stones are toppled or broken. Location of stones removed from the cemetery is unknown. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is not a problem. Water drainage is good all year.
No special sections. Gravestones date from the 17th century. [sic] The marble, granite, sandstone, and limestone gravestones, some with traces of painting on their surfaces and metal fences around graves have Hebrew and Yiddish inscriptions. No known mass graves. The national Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery and an orchard. Adjacent property is forest. Occasionally, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been re-erection, cleaning and patching of stones, clearing vegetation, and gate repair. Current care is occasional clearing or cleaning by unpaid individuals. Within the limits of the cemetery is the caretaker's house.
Cosmina Popa, Tatra Str. no. 4, tel. 064/ 128764, Cluj Napoca, 3400 and Ioana Raiciu, Bd. 21 Decembrie, 13-15, 064/190849, Cluj-Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on July 21, 2000 using the following documentation:
- The General Census of the Population of Transylvania- 1850, Ed. Staff, 1996
- Ernest Wager, Historisch- Statistisches- Ortsnamenbuch fur Siebenburgen-, Ed. Bohlau, 1977
- Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. Istoria evreilor din Transilvania (1623-1944), Bucharest, 1994
- Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localităţilor din Transilvania, I-II, Bucharest, 1968.
- Recensamintul general al populatiei din Transilvania-1930 decembrie 29, I-III, Bucharest, 1938
They interviewed Deac, Bistrita. [January 2003]
BISTRITA II: Bistrita CountyThe cemetery is located at Bistrita, Nasaudului Str. no. 100, cod 4400, judet Bistrita, Romania. See BISTRITA I for town information. The Orthodox landmarked cemetery was established in 1944 with two monuments of the victims of the Holocaust. Last known burial was 1944.
The isolated suburban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached via private road,
access is open with permission. A fence with a gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre-and post-WWII size is 8 m x 10 m. 1-20 stones are visible. All gravestones are in original location. More than 75% of the stones are toppled or broken. Location of stones removed from the cemetery is unknown. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a seasonal problem preventing access. Water drainage is good all year.
No special sections. The oldest known gravestone dates from 1944. Tombstones date from the 20th century. The marble smoothed and inscribed common gravestones have Hebrew inscriptions. The cemetery has Holocaust memorial. The cemetery contains marked mass graves. The national Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are agricultural. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop.
The never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been clearing vegetation. Current care is occasional clearing or cleaning by unpaid individuals. No structures. Vegetation is a moderate threat since the vegetation grows all over the monuments.
Cosmina Popa, Tatra Str. no. 4, tel. 064/ 128764, Cluj Napoca, 3400 and Ioana Raiciu, Bd. 21 Decembrie, 13-15, 064/190849, Cluj-Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on July 21, 2000 using the following documentation:
- The General Census of the Population of Transylvania- 1850, Ed. Staff, 1996
- Ernest Wager, Historisch- Statistisches- Ortsnamenbuch fur Siebenburgen-, Ed. Bohlau, 1977
- Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. Istoria evreilor din Transilvania (1623-1944), Bucharest, 1994
- Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localităţilor din Transilvania, I-II, Bucharest, 1968.
- Recensamintul general al populatiei din Transilvania-1930 decembrie 29, I-III, Bucharest, 1938
They interviewed no one. [January 2003]