UPDATE: Present town population is under 1,000 with no Jews. The town was under Austro-Hungarian rule in the early 20th century and had Jewish population from at least that time. Currently, the town borders Ukraine with a Ukrainian border guard depot at the cemetery that is overgrown. Access is nearly impossible due to this border issue. Source: Stuart Kaufer, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., who visited the site in 2003. [May 2004]
US Commission No. ROCE-0588 -
The cemetery is located in Tarna Mare, inside of the ranger [sic] military camp, 3956, judet Satu Mare, 4729 2620, 210.9 miles N of Bucharest and 50 km from Satu Mare. Alternate name: Nagytarna (Hungarian); Grosstarna (German). Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.
- Mayor Sabadis Grigore, Town Hall of Tarna Mare, judet Satu Mare, Romania
- The Jewish Community of Satu Mare, Decebal Street no. 4A, 3900 Satu Mare, Romania, tel. 0040-61-713703
- The Federation of the Jewish Communities of Romania, Sfintu Vineri Str., 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.
- Key holder and caretaker: none
The 1880 Jewish population by census was 126, by 1900 census was 292, and in 1930 was 324. 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 cemetery was established in second half of the 19th century. Last known burial was inter-war period. The hill and hillside, separate but near other cemeteries, has no sign or marker. The unlandmarked Orthodox, Hasidic cemetery is reached by crossing the ranger military camp) with access open with permission. No wall, fence, or gate.
Approximate pre-WWII size is unknown. Approximate post-WWII size is 44 x 34 m. 20-100 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 seasonal problem preventing access. Water drainage is good all year.
Cannot determine if cemetery has/had special sections. The oldest known gravestone dates from second half of the 19th century. The 19th and 20th century marble, granite, limestone, concrete, and local stone 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 property is (ranger camp). Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The never vandalized cemetery has no maintenance. No care now. No structures.
threat.
Claudia Ursutiu, Pietroasa Str. no. 21, 3400 Cluj Napoca, Romania, tel. 0040-64-151073 visited the site and completed the survey July 2000 using the following documentation:
- Recensamantul din 1880. Transilvania (1880 Transylvania Jewish Population Census.) coord.: Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1997.
- Recensamantul din 1900. (1900 Transylvania Jewish Population Census) coord.: 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
- Ladislau Gyemant, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 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
No interviews. [January 2003]