US Commission No. ROCE-0380 Map
(NEMES) Located in Maramures County at 47°33' 23°57' approximately 20km from Tirgu Lapus and 30.4 kilometers ESE of Baia Mare. The cemetery is located in the upper part of the village. A dirt road leads to the left off the main village road at light pole #22. The site is reached through the courtyard of the house at the end of this road, and across several fields above the house. Alternate names: Hungarian: Nemesbudaflava. The Jewish Community in Baia Mare was unaware of the cemetery site at the time of the survey.
There is only one stone on this site in Ungureni (Nemesbudafalva), though locals interviewed stated that the cemetery was much larger at one time. There is no regular caretaker, but 'Avram' from Israel comes every year to care for the stone. This cemetery served the 'upper', or Nemes community of Ungureni, who were free peasants. All but one Jewish family (Sajovics) left Ungureni after the 1918 'revolution' - probably the Bela Kun uprising. Villagers named six children of 'Zsaku' or Isaac Sajovics - Ilie, Zsmir, Marku, Ida, Ferenc, and Eszter. Ilie is said to have returned to the village briefly in 1947. A Jewish woman, maiden name Markovics, is said to have married a local resident (and converted to Christianity). We did not meet this woman, although she is still alive.
The one remaining stone here is in a precarious position on a steep incline between two fields at different levels. It is likely that villagers could describe the former boundary of the cemetery in greater detail. Jewish population as of the last census before World War II is unknown but villagers stated that 15-18 families had lived in the village prior to 1918. The cemetery location is rural (agricultural), on hillside, and isolated with no sign or marker. The cemetery is reached by turning off a public road and onto private property. Access is open to all. No walls, fence, or gate. Missing stones were probably incorporated into roads or structures. Vegetation and water drainage are not a problem. The one remaining stone is flat-shaped, smoothed and inscribed in Hebrew. The property is owned by a private individual and used for agricultural purposes. The property is visited annually by private Jewish visitors. The cemetery was vandalized between 1945 and ten years ago. Care is cleaning of the stone by Jewish individuals from abroad and occasional cleaning by individuals. Weather erosion is a moderate threat.
John DeMetrick and Christina Crowder, (formerly of Cluj, they have no further information) , completed this survey on 17 April 2000 using a list of cemeteries known by the Jewish Community in Baia Mare. They visited the site on 7 April 2000 and interviewed Mr. Petru Buda, local retired medical assistant and pharmacist.
UNGURENI II: (IOBAS) US Commission No. ROCE-0381
Located in Jud. Maramures at 47°33' 23°57', approximately 20 km from Tirgu Lapus and 30.4 kilometers ESE of Baia Mare, the cemetery site is approximately 100 m across fields behind the house in photograph. Alternate names of town or village: Hungarian: Nemesbudaflava. Present town population: unknown. One "former" Jew lives in the town.
There are no gravestones or boundary markers at this site in Ungureni (Nemesbudafalva). But, local residents claim that the site contains Jewish graves, but was abandoned in 1918 when the majority of the Jewish population left the village (probably because of the Bela Kun uprising). Stones from the cemetery were taken over the years and are probably in the foundations of local structures. This cemetery served the lower half of Ungureni, also known as 'Iobas', which was associated with the local Hungarian 'Boyars'. "Iobag" in Romanian, is the word to describe a peasant who is dependent on a feudal landowner. The site is currently part orchard and part plowed field. Though there are no actual markers, villagers claim that they could show the rough boundaries of the site, and photographs were taken during the site visit. The cemetery is reached through the courtyard of a house that occupies the site of one of two synagogues in the village (see photographs of current house). Both synagogues were torn down after 1918; and newer houses stand on both sites. Sajovics and Markovics families known in the village - see summary for Ungureni I.
Note: Villagers seem both knowledgeable and interested in the Jewish history of the village, and there is one (former) Jewish resident in the village. This would be a good place to do further oral history research. See photographs for picture of house below cemetery site. The cemetery site is approximately 100m across the fields behind the house.
The Jewish Community in Baia Mare was unaware of the site at the time of the survey. It is not known if the Jewish Community in Bucuresti is aware of this site. Mr. Petru Buda (local retired medical assistant and pharmacist) was interviewed for this survey and has a great deal of knowledge about both sites in Ungureni. The cemetery is unlocked with no caretaker. Cemetery location is rural (agricultural), on a gentle slope, and isolated with no sign or marker. The cemetery is reached by public road and onto private property. Access is open to all with no wall, fence or gate. Present cemetery size is about - 15x40 m. No tombstones. They probably were incorporated into the road. Vegetation and water drainage are not a problem. The owner is a private individual. The site is used as an orchard and plowed field. Properties adjacent to the cemetery are agricultural. The cemetery is never visited. The cemetery was vandalized prior to WWII and between 1945 and ten years ago. The only threat is the loss of its location from local memory.
John DeMetrick and Christina Crowder, (formerly of Cluj, they have no further information) completed this survey on 17 April 2000 using a list of cemeteries known by the Jewish Community in Baia Mare. They visited the site on 7 April 2000 and interviewed Mr. Petru Buda, local retired medical assistant and pharmacist.