International Jewish Cemetery Project - Netherlands
Joods begraafplats (Jews' Burial Ground): The small moated town of Elburg lies to the northeast of Amsterdam and west of Zwolle. The well-preserved Jewish cemetery, enclosed by a high brick wall, is entered through an iron-barred gate, over which hangs a plaque inscribed with an extract from Psalm 23-4. On either side are plaques bearing the following names: D. BEEM, B. de HOND, Ez BEEM, S.de HOND-BEEM, S BEEM, D Ez de HOND, E RACAU, J de HOND, I FORSTER, K de HOND, C FORSTER, A de LANGE, J FORSTER, J de LANGE, S FORS TER, M de LANGE, H v HAMBERG, J VECHT, J STEINHAUER, S VECHT-LEVIE, M VECHT-LEVIE
Inscribed on the gate (Dutch text, followed by English translation): "Die Geliefd en bemind waren tljdens hun leven zijn ook in de dood niet gescheiden. (Those who were loved during their lives, in death are not forgotten.) Hun aandenken zij tot zegen. (Their memory is as a blessing.) Ter blijvende naged achtenis aan alle joodse medeburgers die gedurende de 2ND werlde-oorlog door de duitse terreur uit ons midden werden weggerukt. (To the everlasting memory of all those Jewish fellow-citizens who during the Second World War, under the German reign of terror, were taken from amongst us.)"
Wall Plaque: "Joods begraafplats (Jews' Burial Ground): 'Woning der levenden' noemen joden hun begraafplats deze begraafplats werd in het begin van de 18DEeuw aangelegd. De tekst boven de ingang betkent (The Jews called their burial grounds the 'House of Life'. This cemetery was founded in the 18th Century.)" The text over the entrance reads:) 'Al ging ik ook in de schaduw des doods ik zou geen hwaad vregen want gij zijt bij nij' (Although I walk in the shadow of Death, I will have no fear for Thou art with me.)
The locked cemetery contains over 100 stones, most in excellent condition. A local guidebook speaks of the earliest stone dating to 1768, but this does not appear among those listed. These range from 1803 to the most recent, dated 1974. Detailed transcripts of all stones, generously provided by the Elburg Archivist, have been lodged with the Dutch Genealogical Society. These include Hebrew inscriptions and Dutch translations, plus photographs of each stone: the number against each submitted name corresponds to the matching sheet lodged with DutchGen. For information regarding access, write in the first instance to the VVV (Dutch Tourist Office) Elburg. The submitter of this data is unable to provide any further information. Angela Shire; 14 February 2000; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Elburg Jewish Cemetery [Joodse Begraafpaats Elburg]: Located in Gelderland, 20 km from Zwolle, the current town population is 5,000-25,000 with no known Jewish population. The Progressive-Reform cemetery on flat land is isolated in the corner of a park and marked by a sign or plaque in Hebrew and Dutch that mentions Jews and the Holocaust. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open with permission via a continuous 3 m masonry wall with a locking gate.
Pre-WWII and current size of the cemetery is 30x30 m with 102 memorial markers, all in original location. More than 75% are broken or toppled. Vegetation and water drainage are not problems. No special sections. The 19th century marble and granite tombstones are finely smoothed and inscribed with Hebrew.
The national Jewish community owns the property only used as a Jewish cemetery. Rarely, private Jewish and non-Jewish visitors stop at the site. Past care includes patching broken stones. Current care is occasional clearing or cleaning. No structures. Weather erosion is a moderate threat.
Bert de Jong, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. completed the survey on 12 Sep 2003. He visited the site in May 2003. No interviews or additional documentation were used to complete the survey. [October 2003]