International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

MEDIESU AURIT: Aranyosmeggyes, Satu Mare County, Transylvania

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I visited Mediesu Aurit 1 that is listed as being on Strada Garii. The address in inaccurate and it took a number of queries to find it. Strada Garii is the main road through town. The cemetery entrance is located on an unnamed side street and the cemetery cannot be seen from the main road. As you are driving along Garii away from the town center toward Route 19F, turn right on the first street after passing the Orthodox Church.  Drive 50-100m and the entrance to this small cemetery is on the right. There is a small fence but no gate.
The maintenance of vegetation was good with almost every stone accessible. 80%+ of the stones were standing. Most were made from sandstone and are difficult to read. Many will require some light cleaning solution to be read.
70% were in Hebrew only but of those, some contained the family name.  Perhaps there were 80-100 stones.
I could not find Mediesu Aurit II and ran out of time given how long it took to find the first one.
Michael Perl visited in September 2019

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MEDIESU AURIT I:

US Commission No. ROCE-0557 -

The cemetery is located in Mediesu Aurit, Garii Str., 3982, judet Satu Mare, Romania at 4747 2309, 271.0 miles NNW of Bucharest and 34 km from Satu Mare. The alternate name is Aranyasmegyes (Hungarian.) Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.

  • Mayor Meszaros Adrian, Town Hall of Mediesu Aurit, Romania
  • The Jewish Community of Satu Mare, Decebal Str. no. 4A, 3900 Satu Mare, Romania, tel. 0040-61-713703
  • 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.
  • "A.D. Xenopol" Institute of History, Lascar Catargi Str., no. 15, 6400- Iasi (judet Iasi), Romania. Tel. 032/212614; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Director: Alexandru Zub.
  • Key holder and caretaker: Oniga Gheorghe, Garii Str. no. 776, Mediesu Aurit

In 1839-840 Jewish population was 172, by 1880 census was 315, by 1900 census was 257 and in 1930 was 256. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the ghetto of Satu Mare and on May 19, 22, 26, 29, 30, 31, and June 1 were deported to Auschwitz. The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established in second half of the 19th century. Last known burial was inter-war period.

The rural/agricultural 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 and fence with a gate that locks surround the site. Approximate pre-WWII size is unknown. Approximate post-WWII size is 160 x 32 m. 20-100 stones are visible. 20-100 stones are in original location. 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 1875. The 19th and 20th century marble, granite, limestone, sandstone, and concrete flat shaped, smoothed and inscribed, and carved relief-decorated, double tombstones, and sculpted monuments have Hebrew inscriptions. No known mass graves. The local Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent property is local cemetery. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop.

The cemetery was vandalized occasionally in the last ten years. Maintenance has been re-erection of stones, patching broken stones, cleaning stones, clearing vegetation, and fixing wall by local non-Jewish residents in in 1998. Current care is regular unpaid caretaker. No structures.

Claudia Ursutiu, Pietroasa Str. no. 21, 3400 Cluj Napoca, Romania, tel. 0040-64-151073 visited the site and completed the survey in July 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
  • Gyemant, Ladislau. Evreii din Transilvania in epoca emanciparii, 1790-1867 (The Jews of Transylvania in the Age of Emancipation 1790-1867), Bucuresti, ed, Enciclopedica, 2000
  • Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967
  • Otto Mitelstrass, Historisch-Landeskundlicher Atlas von Siebenburgen, Ortsnamenbuch, Heidelberg, 1992
  • Microsoft Auto Route Express 1999

Claudia and Adrian Ursutiu interviewed Gheorghe and Cornelia Oniga, Mediesu Aurit. [January 2003]

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MEDIESU AURIT II: US Commission No. ROCE-0558

See MEDIUSU AURIT I for town information.

The cemetery is located at Mediesu Aurit, Sf. Ioan Str. (behind Orthodox priest�s yard.) The alternate name is Aranyasmegyes (Hungarian.)

  • Key holder: None

    • In 1839-1840 Jewish population was 172, by 1880 census was 315, by 1900 census was 257 and in 1930 was 256. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the ghetto of Satu Mare and on May 19, 22, 26, 29, 30, 31, and June 1 were deported to Auschwitz.

    The unlandmarked Orthodox (Hasidic) cemetery was established in second half of the 19th century with last known burial was inter-war period. The isolated rural/agricultural flat land has no sign or marker. Reached via private property, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate. Approximate pre-WWII size is unknown. Approximate post-WWII size is approximately 10 x 4 m. 1-20 stones are visible, some 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 a constant problem damaging stones. Water drainage is good all year.

    The oldest known gravestone dates from second half of the 19th century. The 19th and 20th century sandstone flat shaped, smoothed and inscribed, and carved relief-decorated common gravestones have Hebrew inscriptions. No known mass graves. The local Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery and orchard. Adjacent properties are agricultural.

    The cemetery was not vandalized in the last ten years or occasionally in the last ten years. [sic] No maintenance. No care. No structures. Security is a serious threat. (no fence, no gate) Weather erosion is a moderate threat. Vegetation is a serious threat. (The gravestones are almost covered by vegetation.)

    Claudia Ursutiu, Pietroasa Str. no. 21, 3400 Cluj Napoca, Romania, tel. 0040-64-151073 visited the site and completed the survey in July 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
    • Gyemant, Ladislau. Evreii din Transilvania in epoca emanciparii, 1790-1867 (The Jews of Transylvania in the Age of Emancipation 1790-1867), Bucuresti, ed. Enciclopedica, 2000
    • Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967
    • Otto Mitelstrass, Historisch-Landeskundlicher Atlas von Siebenburgen, Ortsnamenbuch, Heidelberg, 1992
    • Microsoft Auto Route Express 1999

    Claudia and Adrian Ursutiu interviewed Oniga Gheorghe, Mediesu Aurit. [January 2003]

    I visited Mediesu Aurit 1 that is listed as being on Strada Garii. The address in inaccurate and it took a number of queries to find it. Strada Garii is the main road through town. The cemetery entrance is located on an unnamed side street and the cemetery cannot be seen from the main road. As you are driving along Garii away from the town center toward Route 19F, turn right on the first street after passing the Orthodox Church.  Drive 50-100m and the entrance to this small cemetery is on the right. There is a small fence but no gate.  The maintenance of vegetation was good with almost every stone accessible. 80%+ of the stones were standing. Most were made from sandstone and are difficult to read. Many will require some light cleaning solution to be read.
    70% were in Hebrew only but of those, some contained the family name.  Perhaps there were 80-100 stones. I could not find Mediesu Aurit II and ran out of time given how long it took to find the first one. Michael Perl visited in September 2019. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

     

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    Parent Category: EASTERN EUROPE