Uzhhorod Cemetery Information


~ Introduction ~

Jewish families who lived in Uzhhorod and probably the surrounding communities used the Uzhhorod cemetery as the final resting place for their loved ones. The cemetery—established in 16th century—is located in Uzhhorod, on Kotlyarevskogo street, and is the largest cemetery in the Sub-Carpathia region..

To limit the size of the tombstone photo album on the web page, they are presented by section. Mouseover "Cemetery" above in the menu, then click one the sub-tabs of the menu to view cemetery sectons one, two, three, four or five.

In the documents section of the "Other" tab, you will find a link to a U.S. Commission Report completed in 2005 that attempted to document Jewish Cemeteries (and Synagogues and Mass Grave Sites) in Ukraine. This cemetery is listed, but many other cemeteries of the Zakarpats'ka oblast are not listed.

As of 27 October 2015, the cemetery had total of 3,830 tombstones (including rabbis, broken and fallen stones, etc.). There are a few duplicate tombstones presented (with front and reverse) or both the old and a newer stone were found. The cemetery has discrete sections for men, women, rabbis and Cohanim. Most of the tombstones are in their original condition, some with decorations or colored lettering and some have portraits on the stones—a local custom. A few have been restored or replaced by descendents. Many of the tombstones are weathered and difficult to read, therefore, the burial book was used in those cases for the burial information.

It is possible that there may be as many as 5,000 burials in the cemetery, accounting for multiple names on a tombstone, e.g., husband and wife, etc., and considering all of the tombstones that have been removed from the cemetery over time, as well as the names found in the Chevra Kadisha (Burial Society) book.

Today, by section, the description is as follows:
  • Section 1: one Ohel with two rabbis, six other rabbis and another 476 tombstones (excluding one duplicate);
  • Section 2: one Ohel with six rabbis, one other rabbi and another 1,722 tombstones (excluding five duplicates);
  • Section 3: one Ohel with three rabbis, four other rabbis, a memorial and another 596 tombstones;
  • Section 4: one Ohel with one rabbi and another 551 tombstones (excluding five duplicates); and
  • Section 5: one rabbi, a Mass Grave, a memorial, a maintenance building and another 461 tombstones (excluding one duplicate).* *
* * = Three new burials occurred in Section 5, but no tombstones have been erected yet.



Please read: Since the end of WWII, the cemetery has been vandalized and stones have been removed. Today, periodically, the cemetery is cared for, but, the cemetery is so large that when they have finished clearing all five sections of the cemetery, it is time to return to first section and start clearing it again. This cemetery needs at least two full time caretakers, otherwise you may not be able to locate a tombstone when you visit.

Mr. Sam SCHWARTZ from New York City, formerly from Uzhhorod, has graciously funded clearing the cemetery and the raising of some of the fallen tombstones in recent years. He is seeking individuals with a connection to this cemetery, or anyone else interested in this cemetery, to help financially to fulfill the mitzva of clearing the cemetery annually. Also, many toppled tombstones remain to be stood up and in 2015, 18 tombstones were vandalized (toppled) in the cemetery. The locals continue the disgraceful act of throwing their garbage into the cemetery.

The goals are to fund clearing the overgrowth several times a year, setting upright the numerous stones that have fallen, reassemble broken tombstones and ultimately, raise the height of the wall around the cemetery to prevent the locals from throwing their garbage over the wall into the cemetery. Your financial help is needed in this most noble effort, click HERE to contact me.



Many famous rabbis are buried in the Uzhhorod cemetery, notably:
  • Rabbi Hatzadik Yehuda Leibish BOIDEK-REIZMAN, First Rabbi of Ungvár
  • Rabbi Shlomo GANZFRIED, Rabbi and Dayan (Religious Court Judge) in Ungvár, author of Kitzur Sulchan Oruch (Code of Jewish Law) and uncle of the famous Munkács Rabbi, Chaim Elazar SPIRA
  • Rabbi Yosef GANZFRIED
  • Rabbi Chaim Yehuda, Dayan
  • Rabbi David
  • Rabbi Gershon Binyamin Zev BINET, Dayan
  • Rabbi Yisroel Ozer Yitzchok WEINBERGER
  • Rabbi Shlomo Zalmen BRODY, Dayan
  • Rabbi Avraham Yosef GRUNWALD, Rabbi of Ungvár
  • Rabbi Yehuda (ASH) EISENSTÄDTER, Rabbi of Szobráncz
  • Rabbi Meyer (ASH) EISENSTÄDTER, Rabbi of Ungvár
  • Rabbi Menachem (ASH) EISENSTÄDTER, Rabbi of Ungvár
  • Rabbi Chaim Tzvi MANHEIMER, Rabbi of the Kehila (community)
  • Rabbi Asher Anshil GREENVALD
  • Rabbi Aharon Dovid KRAUS
  • Rabbi Meir Yisroel KRAUS
  • Rabbi Dovid Feigels KRAUS
  • Rabbi Yehuda WEISS, Rabbi of Szobráncz
  • Rabbi Yekisiel Yehuda GREENWALD, Rabbi of Yara
  • Rabbi Meir BLEI, Dayan
  • Rabbi Yitzchok Yehuda FRIEDMAN
  • Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib SHAPIRO, Av Beis Din (Head of the Rabbinical Court) of Baitch and Sassov
  • Rabbi Dov EHRMAN
  • Rabbi Yisroel Yehuda MITTELMAN, Dayan


~ Early Cemetery Views ~



(Click the images below to view a larger image.)

Early view I
Postcard: Photographer unknown

Early view II
Photo: Uzhgorod-memorial places of Jewish history





(Click the images below to view a larger image.)

Early view III
(before ohel construction)

Rabbi Shlomo GANZFRIED
1804 - 1886

Photo: Copyright ©2007 Tomer BRUNNER, Israel
Rabbi and Dyan in Ungvár

Early view IV

Graves of Ester and Joseph SCHONBERGER
c. 1926-27

Photo: Courtesy of Shree ROTH, USA

Left to right: The children are Harold ROTH, Rose (née KOPPELMAN) ROTH * and Elsa Roth (née SCHENK) and their mother, Charlotte (née SCHONBERGER) ROTH (died in Allentown, PA, USA)

Blanka (née STEINBERGER) SCHONBERGER *

Next, Solomon SCHONBERGER * and Alice ROTH who died in 1935 at age 23 and is buried here

* = Died in the Holocaust




(Click the images below to view a larger image.)

Early view V
Photo: Copyright ©2012 Marshall KATZ, USA
Before clearing the cemetery

Early view VI
Photo: Copyright ©2012 Marshall KATZ, USA
Before clearing the cemetery





~ Cemetery Gate and Door ~

(Click the images below to view a larger image.)

Cemetery Gate
Photo: Copyright ©2010 Caryn (née FRIEDLANDER) LEVINSON, USA
Service entrance

Entrance Door
Photo: Copyright ©2014 Marshall KATZ, USA
One of two doors on Kotlyarevskogo street





~ Uzhhorod Cemetery Video ~

The video below—from October 2015—gives you panorama views of the Uzhhorod Cemetery.
The video starts with panning Section Five (on the right) and Section Four (on the left), then
back to Section Five and then works its way back across the cemetery to Section One.
The following map of the cemetery will help you to orient yourself as you watch the video.


~ Cemetery Map ~
Photo: Copyright ©2014 Marshall KATZ, USA
[ Not drawn to scale ]
Video Source: You Tube and Boris ZIMMERMAN, Ukraine
Time - 16:59 [ minutes:seconds ]

 





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Compiled and created by:
Marshall J. KATZ, USA
with assistance from:

Uzhgorod-memorial places of Jewish history
Amos Israel ZEZMER, France
Boris ZIMMERMAN, Ukraine
and the following:

JewishGen members/descendants and
contributors of Uzhhorod Jewish families:


Tomer BRUNNER, Israel
Caryn (née FRIEDLANDER) LEVINSON, USA
Shree ROTH, USA


Updated: 21 September 2020

Copyright ©2010
Marshall J. Katz
All rights reserved.


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