Eastern European Cemetery Survey: English

Eastern European Cemetery Survey

Please submit the completed form as an attached file [extension .txt] or in the body of an email to Ellen SADOVE Renck: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For each question, check all information of which you are certain. Feel free to include additional or more specific information and also to delete information that is irrelevant to your survey. Responding to this survey grants permission to IAJGS, or its designee, to post any and all of your survey responses on the IAJGS International Jewish Cemetery Project website. Should you wish any information to remain confidential or if you have questions or comments, please contact IAJGS separately. Survey submissions become the property of the IAJGS International Jewish Cemetery Project website on JewishGen.

The project concentrates on full cemetery or cemetery section inclusions. Please do not include comments about personal family burials in this survey. Thank you.

The Town: Present Circumstances
Current name of town or village in which cemetery is located or town/village nearest to cemetery:
Address of cemetery or location vis-a-vis above-named town or village
Alternate/former names of town or village
Yiddish:
German:
Hungarian:
Polish:
English:
other:
Province or region:
Longitude and Latitude:
Distance from larger towns or centers (specify): ___ km. or ___ miles
Present total town population:
[ ] under 1,000
[ ] 1,000 - 5,000
[ ] 5,000 - 25,000
[ ] 25,000 - 100,000
[ ] over 100,000

Present Jewish population:
[ ] none
[ ] under 10
[ ] 0 - 100
[ ] 100 - 1,000
[ ] 1,000 - 10,000
[ ] over 10,000

Contact People: (Please give complete information if possible with names, titles, addresses, telephones numbers, email address)

Names of town officials (mayor, administrator, etc.) and offices (municipal office, records office, etc.) with addresses and telephone numbers (specify title):

Local government, conservation, and religious authorities or offices responsible for site (specify names and titles):

Regional political, preservation, religious authorities or offices responsible for site(specify names and titles):

Local or regional individuals, institutions or organizations interested in site even if not responsible for site(specify names and titles):

If the Jewish cemetery is locked, give address and telephone # of keyholder:

Caretaker name and address:

List others who may have information about the cemetery:

History
Date of earliest known Jewish community in town:

Jewish population as of last census before World War II (Give date, if known.):

Noteworthy historical events involving or affecting the Jewish community:

Noteworthy individuals who lived in this Jewish community:

Date Jewish cemetery was established:

Tzadakkim and other noteworthy Jews buried in cemetery:

Date of last known Jewish burial in cemetery:

Type of Jewish community which used this cemetery:
[ ] Orthodox (If Hasidic list branch:__________________)
[ ] Orthodox (Sephardic)
[ ] Conservative
[ ] Progressive/Reform
[ ] Neolog
[ ] other (specify)

List communities from other towns and villages that used this cemetery:

Approximate distance of cemetery from congregations that used it: (miles or km?)

Is the cemetery protected as a local, regional or national landmark or monument?
[ ] yes (If yes, give details.)
[ ] no

Location, Markers, Access, Security
The cemetery location is
[ ] urban
[ ] suburban
[ ] rural (agricultural)
[ ] rural (woods/forest)
[ ] between fields and woods
[ ] other _____________________

The cemetery location is
[ ] on flat land
[ ] on a hillside
at the crown of a hill
[ ] by water
other _____________________

The cemetery is
isolated
[ ] part of a municipal cemetery
separate, but near other cemeteries
[ ] other _____________________

The cemetery is marked by
[ ] no sign or marker
[ ] a sign or plaque in local language (specify language:__________________________)

[ ] a sign or plaque in Yiddish
a sign or plaque in Hebrew
[ ] inscriptions in other languages (specify ___________________)
[ ] inscriptions in Hebrew on gate or wall
inscriptions on pre-burial house
[ ] no sign, but Jewish symbols on gate or wall (e.g., Star of David, Menorah, etc.)

If you answered the question above about a marker, does the marker mention:
[ ] Jews
[ ] the Holocaust
[ ] the Jewish Community
[ ] famous individuals buried in cemetery
[ ] other (specify:___________________________)

The cemetery is reached by
[ ] turning directly off a public road
[ ] turning directly off a private road
[ ] crossing other public property (specify:_____________________)
[ ] crossing private property
[ ] other (specify:______________________________________________)

Access to the cemetery is
[ ] open to all
[ ] open with permission
[ ] entirely closed
[ ] other __________________

The cemetery is surrounded by
[ ] a continuous masonry wall
[ ] a broken masonry wall
[ ] a continuous fence
[ ] a broken fence
[ ] no wall or fence
[ ] a hedge or row of trees or bushes
[ ] other _________________________

The cemetery has
[ ] a gate that locks
[ ] a gate that does not lock
[ ] no gate

Appearance and Condition of Cemetery
Approximate size of cemetery before World War II (specify measurement unit):

Present size of cemetery(specify measurement unit):

Approximate number of gravestones in cemetery, regardless of condition or position:
[ ] no stones visible
[ ] 1 to 20
[ ] 20 to 100
[ ] 100 - 500
[ ] 500 - 5000
[ ] more than 5000
[ ] specific number existing: _____

38. Approximate number of gravestones in original locations, regardless of condition:
[ ] none
[ ] 1 to 20
[ ] 20 to 100
[ ] 100 - 500
[ ] 500 - 5000
[ ] more than 5000
[ ] specific number existing: _____

39. Approximate number of stones in cemetery, but not in original locations
[ ] none
[ ] 1 to 20
[ ] 20 to 100
[ ] 100 - 500
[ ] 500 - 5000
[ ] more than 5000
[ ] specific number existing: _____

Approximate percentage of surviving stones toppled or broken, whether or not in original locations
[ ] none
[ ] less than 25%
[ ] 25% - 50%
[ ] 50% - 75%
[ ] more than 75%

Is the location of stones that have been removed from the cemetery from the cemetery known?
[ ] yes
[ ] no
[ ] not known

If location is known, how many stones are:
[ ] in another cemetery (location name: ___________________________)
[ ] in a museum (location name, address, etc.: ___________________________)
[ ] in a conservation laboratory (location name, address, etc.: ___________________________)
[ ] incorporated into roads or structures (location: ___________________________)
[ ] in private collections (location: ___________________________)
[ ] elsewhere (location: ___________________________)

Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is
[ ] not a problem
[ ] a seasonal problem, preventing access
[ ] a constant problem, disturbing graves
[ ] a constant problem, disturbing stones
[ ] a constant problem, damaging stones

Water drainage at the cemetery is
[ ] good all year round (not a problem)
[ ] a seasonal problem
[ ] a constant problem

Tombstones and Memorial Markers
(Note: Check as many answers as are appropriate)

Is the cemetery divided into special sections
[ ] yes
[ ] no
[ ] unable to determine
[ ] impossible to determine

[ ] If cemetery is divided into section, which sections?
[ ] men
[ ] women
[ ] unmarried men
[ ] unmarried women
[ ] rabbis
[ ] Cohanim
[ ] children
[ ] women who died during childbirth
[ ] suicides
refugees
other: _________________________

What is the date of the oldest known gravestone in the cemetery?

Tombstones in the cemetery date from
[ ] before 1500
[ ] 16th century
[ ] 17th century
[ ] 18th century
[ ] 19th century
[ ] 20th century

Tombstones and memorial markers are made of
[ ] marble
[ ] granite
[ ] limestone
[ ] sandstone
[ ] slate
[ ] iron
[ ] other ________________________

The cemetery's tombstones are
[ ] rough stones or boulders
[ ] flat shaped stones
[ ] finely smoothed and inscribed stones
[ ] flat stones with carved relief decoration
[ ] double tombstones
[ ] sculpted monuments
[ ] multi-stone monuments
[ ] horizontally set stones with Sephardic inscriptions
[ ] obelisks
[ ] other _____________________________
[ ] none of the above

The cemetery has tombstones
[ ] with traces of painting on their surfaces
[ ] with iron decorations or lettering
[ ] with bronze decorations or lettering
[ ] with other metallic elements
[ ] portraits on stones
[ ] metal fences around graves
[ ] none of the above

Inscriptions on tombstones are in
[ ] Hebrew
[ ] Yiddish
[ ] Polish
[ ] German
[ ] Czech
[ ] Slovak
[ ] Russian
[ ] Hungarian
[ ] other (specify ________________)

The cemetery contains special memorial monuments to
[ ] Holocaust victims
[ ] pogrom victims
[ ] epidemic victims
[ ] Jewish soldiers
[ ] other _________________________

The cemetery contains
[ ] marked mass graves
[ ] unmarked mass graves
[ ] no known mass graves

Current Use of Cemetery Site
(Note: Check all answers that apply)
The present owner of the cemetery property is
[ ] the local Jewish community
[ ] the national Jewish community
[ ] the municipality
[ ] a regional or national governmental agency
[ ] private individual (s)
[ ] unknown

The cemetery property is now used for
[ ] Jewish cemetery use only
[ ] agricultural use (crops or animal grazing)
[ ] recreational use (park, playground, sports field)
[ ] industrial or commercial use
[ ] storage
[ ] waste dumping
[ ] residential
[ ] other ________________________________

Properties adjacent to cemetery are
[ ] recreational
[ ] commercial or industrial
[ ] agricultural
[ ] residential
[ ] other: __________________________________

Compared to 1939, the cemetery boundaries enclose
[ ] the same area
[ ] a larger area
[ ] a smaller area
[ ] not known

[ ] If the boundaries are smaller, they have been reduced as a result of:
[ ] new roads or highways
[ ] housing development
[ ] commercial or industrial development
[ ] agriculture
[ ] other ___________________________

The cemetery is visited
[ ] frequently
[ ] occasionally
[ ] rarely

The cemetery is visited by
[ ] organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups
[ ] organized individual tours
[ ] private visitors (Jewish or non-Jewish)
[ ] local residents
[ ] other ____________________________

Care and Restoration of the Cemetery
The cemetery was vandalized (stones overturned, broken or stolen; graffiti painted on walls or stones, etc.; graves desecrated)
[ ] never
[ ] prior to World War II
[ ] during World War II
[ ] never in last ten years (1981-1991)
[ ] occasionally, between 1981 and 1991
[ ] frequently, between 1981 amd 1991
[ ] between 1945 and 1981

What care has been taken of the cemetery?
[ ] stones re-erected
[ ] broken stones patched
[ ] stones cleaned
[ ] vegetation cleared
[ ] wall fixed
[ ] gate fixed
[ ] no maintenance
[ ] other __________________________

If restoration was carried out, who was responsible for the work?
[ ] local non-Jewish residents
[ ] other individuals or groups of non-Jewish origin
[ ] local/municipal authorities
[ ] regional/national authorities
[ ] Jewish individuals within country
[ ] Jewish individuals abroad
[ ] Jewish groups within country
[ ] Jewish groups abroad
[ ] other (specify: _______________________________________

If restoration work was carried out, when was it done?
Specify: ______________________________________

If restoration work was carried out, has there since been vandalism?
[ ] yes
[ ] no

How is the cemetery cared for now?
[ ] not at all
[ ] occasional clearing or cleaning by individuals
[ ] occasional clearing or cleaning by authorities
[ ] regular caretaker
[ ] other _________________________________

How is the caretaker paid?
[ ] not paid
[ ] paid by the Jewish Congregation of __________________
[ ] paid by a local contribution
[ ] paid regularly by Jewish survivors (specify: _________________________)
[ ] paid by contributions from visitors
[ ] paid by the government
[ ] other _______________________________________________
[ ] n/a (no caretaker)

Structures
Within the limits of the cemetery, there is:
[ ] no structures
[ ] a pre-burial house
[ ] an ohel
[ ] more than one ohel
[ ] there is a well
[ ] there are other structures (specify: _________________________________________________)

If there is a pre-burial house, its has
[ ] a tahara (table)
[ ] a catafalque
[ ] wall inscriptions
[ ] a chimney
[ ] other distinctive features (specify:__________________________________________________)

Recommendations

Please rate the problems facing this cemetery, using the following code:
1 = no threat
2 = slight threat
3 = moderate threat
4 = serious threat
5 = very serious threat

Security (uncontrolled access) 1 2 3 4 5

Weather erosion 1 2 3 4 5

Pollution 1 2 3 4 5

Vegetation 1 2 3 4 5

Vandalism destruction or defacement of stones and graves 1 2 3 4 5

Incompatible nearby development existing) 1 2 3 4 5

Incompatible development (planned or proposed) 1 2 3 4 5

When possible, provide specific information on threats rated 4 (serious) or 5 (very serious):

Survey Background

Name, address, telephone numbers, and email address of person or persons completing this survey:

Do you want only your email address shown on the IAJGS International Cemetery Project website:
[ ] yes
[ ] no


Do you want only your snail-mail address shown on the IAJGS International Cemetery Project website:
[ ] yes
[ ] no


Date this questionnaire was completed:
Basis for completing the survey

Specify documentation, if any, used to complete this survey?


Does other documentation exist?
[ ] yes
[ ] no
[ ] not known
[ ]
If yes, state reason existing documentation was not used: It was:
[ ] too old
[ ] too general
[ ] not accessible
[ ] not reliable
[ ] other _________________

Was the site visited for this survey?
[ ] yes
[ ] no
If yes, give the date(s) of the visit:


Who (name and address, email) visited the site if other than the person who completed the survey?


Were interviews conducted for this survey?
[ ] yes
[ ] no
If yes, give name(s) of person(s) interviewed, date(s) of interview and place(s) of interview:

Do you want only your email address shown on the IAJGS International Cemetery Project website:
[ ] yes
[ ] no

Do you want only your snail-mail address shown on the IAJGS International Cemetery Project website:
[ ] yes
[ ] no


Additional Comments: