US Commission No. ROCE-0043
The unlocked cemetery is located on Somesului Street, the place named Boros, Santana, code 2977, Arad county. Situated near a huge garbage hole, in the older times kind of a swamp, the cemetery seems to be a silent green oasis. Alternate/former name is Szentanna (Hungarian. ) 21- 27'; l: 47 -36' Distance from larger towns or centers 28 km. Town population is 5,000-25,000 with no Jews.
- Mayor Ilinca Ioan, Santana
- The Jewish Community of Arad, 10, Tribunul Dobra Street, 2900 Arad, Romania. Tel. +40-57-281310
- The Federation of the Jewish Communities of Romania, Sfintu Vineri Street, no. 9-11, Sector 3, Bucharest, Romania
- "Dr. Moshe Carmilly" Institute for Hebrew and Jewish History, Universitatii Street 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.
- Caretaker: Plesa Viorel, Str. Somesului, no. 18, Santana, judet Arad
The 1800 Jewish population by census was 111 and was 49 in 1910. Cemetery dates from beginning of the 19th century. Last known burial was around 1950. The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery is from the congregation that used it. The isolated rural (agricultural) flat land is reached by turning directly off a public road. Access is open to all via a continuous fence and a gate that does not lock.
Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 32 m X 84 m. 20 to 100 are visible. Less than 25% are tumbled or broken. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is not a problem. Water drainage at the cemetery is a constant problem. No special sections. The oldest known gravestone dates from 19th century.
The 19th and 20th century marble, granite, and limestone flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones have Hebrew and Hungarian inscriptions. Some have metal fences around graves. No known mass graves. The national Jewish community owns the property now used for a Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent to cemetery is a huge garbage dump. Rarely, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors stop at the never-vandalized cemetery. The cemetery has not been vandalized in the last ten years. Maintenance was clearing of vegetation. Current care is a regular unpaid caretaker. No structures. Security. Vandalism, and pollution are moderate threats. (Uncontrolled access due to 10 m of stolen fencing.
Asst. Prof. Alexandru Pecican, Almasului Street, Bl. R1, apt. 14, Cluj-Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on September 14, 2000 using the following documentation:
- The Transylvanian Census from 1880, Bucharest, Staff Publishing House, 1997;
- The Transylvanian Census from 1910, Bucharest, Staff Publishing House, 1999;
- The General Census of the Population of Romania - December 29, 1930, I-III, Bucharest, 1938
- Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucharest, 1994 (in Romanian)
- Coriolan Suciu, Dicþionar istoric al localitãþilor din Transilvania, I-II, Bucharest, 1968.
He interviewed Ilinca Ioan, Santana on August 27, 2000. [January 2003]