Alternate names: Bocşa [Rom], Román-Bogsán [Hun], Bokschan [Ger], Boksánbánya, Várboksán, Bocşa-Romăna. 45°23' N, 21°42' E, 35 miles SE of Timişoara (Temesvár), 11 miles NW of Reşiţa. Jewish populaton: 34 (in 1880).
CEMETERY:
The cemetery is located at Bocsa, Oituz Str. no. 11, 1725, judet Caras Severin, 4523 2142, 224.9 miles WNW of Bucharest and 20 km from Resita. Alternate names: Nemetbogsan, Bogsanbanya (Hungarian), and Altwerk, Neuwerk (German). Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.
- Mayor Patru Moldovan, Town Hall of Bocsa, 1725, judet Caras Severin
- The Jewish Community of Resita, Mihai Viteazu Str. no. 8, Romania, tel. 0040-55-211048
- 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: Barnut Vasile, Aurelia Fatu Radutiu Str. no. 26A, 1725, Bocsa
The 1880 Jewish population by census was 74, by 1900 census was 98 and in 1930 was 11. The still-active unlandmarked, Orthodox and Neolog cemetery was established in second half of the 19th century. The urban flat land, separate but near other cemeteries, has no sign or marker. Reached by a public road, access is open with permission. A masonry wall with a gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre-WWII size is unknown. Approximate post-WWII size is 28 x 15 m. 20-100 stones are visible. 1-20 stones are not in original location. Less than 25% 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. The oldest known gravestone dates from 1867. The 19th and 20th century marble and granite, limestone, sandstone, and concrete flat shaped, smoothed and inscribed, and carved relief-decorated have Hebrew, German, and Hungarian inscriptions. Some have metal fences around graves. No known mass graves.
The local Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are residential. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been re-erection of stones, cleaning stones, and clearing vegetation. Current care is regular caretaker paid by the Jewish community of Resitsa. No structures.
Claudia Ursutiu, Pietroasa Str. no. 21, 3400 Cluj Napoca, Romania, tel. 0040-64-151073 visited the site and completed the survey in September 2000 using the following documentation:
- Recensamantul din 1880. Transilvania coord.: Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1997.
- Recensamantul din 1900. Transilvania Traian Rotariu, Cluj, 1999
- Recensamantul general al populatiei din 29 decembrie 1930 (The General Census of the Population from December 29, 1930), vol. II, Bucuresti 1938
- Recensamintul general al populatiei din Romania din 7 ianuarie 1992 (The General Census of the Population of Romania from January 7, 1992), vol. I, Bucuresti, 1994
- Zsido Lexicon, ed. by Ujvari Peter, Budapest, 1929
- Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucuresti, 1994, in Romanian
- Izvoare si marturii referitoare la evreii din Romania (Sources and Testimonies on the Jews in Romania), vol. III/1-2, coord. L. Gyemant, L. Benjamin, Bucuresti, Ed. Hasefer, 1999
- Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967
No interviews. [January 2003]