Roudnice nad Labem is a small town on the river Labe with about 13 500 inhabitants on its 16.67 km². The town is situated near the famous hill Říp and one of the oldest Czech towns. The original name Rúdnik / Rúdnica was given to it because of the red colored water spring in this area. The first written documentation dates from 1167 and 1176. The bridge over the river Labe was the third oldest bridge made of stone in Czech Republic and was the first bridge to connect both banks of the river. The entirely stone Baroque castle dominates Roudnice nad Labem and was the property of Lobkowicz family town photos.. [February 2009]
CEMETERY:
Old Jewish Cemetery epitaphs. Most of the epitaphs look as though they are in Hebrew or YiddishGabriel Deutsch, 1816-2/10/1894___ZieroleEva Ross or RosslGottlieb Brode
[UPDATE] Photos by Charles Burns [November 2017]
Cemetery photos The Jewish cemetery in Roudnice dates back into the Middle Ages.The first site occupied by local Jews was south of the chateau in an area known as the Horse Market. The first Jewish cemetery was located there.Building the Capucin monastery at the beginning of the 17th century led to the forced removal of the Jewish residents, who were re-settled beyond the “Hassa Gate” on the site of what are now Třebízského Street and Havlíčkova Street. In addition to houses, a synagogue [photos], school and spital [?] were built here, and a new cemetery was established with Renaissance, Baroque, and Neo-Classical headstones.At the same time, several gravestones from the cemetery near chateau were also brought there.
During the communist regime, ownership of the synagogue was appropriated by the Czech state and rebuilt completely in the 1950's so none of the original architectural elements were preserved. A new ceiling was built in the main sanctuary, and none of the original components or design elements were retained, nor were the furnishings and hardware. All windows, doors and even the facade were replaced or rebuilt. Only in one small section can any of the original facade decoration be seen. In 1998, ownership of the property was returned to the Jewish community of Usti nad Labem. The buildings have been unoccupied since 1991. The condition has deteriorated steadily and was worsened by the devastating floods of August, 2002. The Jewish community of Usti nad Labem tried unsuccessfully for years to find someone to rent the building and partner in its repairs. The estimated cost of repairing the building was $660,000. The building was sold for $30,000. Most of the proceeds will go toward the restoration of the Jewish Town Hall in Usti nad Labem, and approximately $6,000 will be given to the Federation toward its ongoing effort to save the new Jewish cemetery of Roudnice nad Labem.Any individuals or groups interested in sponsoring a commemorative plaque to be placed at the site may e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to make arrangements to save the new Jewish cemetery of Roudnice nad Labem. A detailed memorial is planned at the site when restoration is complete. While the synagogue cannot be restored, the cemetery can. Scroll down to see photos of the New Cemetery: The new Jewish cemetery in June 2002 after an initial clean up by the Federation of Jewish Communities which removed extensive debris and garbage from the site; The only surviving photo of the Ceremonial Hall. The original plans for the building's construction have been preserved.; and The Ceremonial Hall shell in June 2002 before repairs were made to prevent the collapse of the surviving structure. more cemetery photos [January 2009]
ROUDNICE NAD LABEM: (I) US Commission No. CZCE000308
Alternate name: Raudnitz a.d. Elbe in German. [Alternate names: Roudnice nad Labem [Cz], Raudnitz an der Elbe [Ger], Roudnice na Labe, Roudnice, Raudnitz] Town is located in Bohemia, Litomerice. at 50°25' N, 14°15' E , 14 km SE of Litomerice, 17 km NW of Melnik, and 25 miles NNW of Praha (Prague). The old cemetery is located 900 meters W of chateau in Trebizskeho St. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.
- Town: Mayor A. Rous and Vice-mayor Mr. Valek, Mestsky Urad, namesti 1, 413 01 Roudnice nad Labem; tel. 0411/2483.
- Regional: Okresni Urad-Referat Kultury, Na valech 525/10, 412 01 Litomerice; tel. 0416/2332 or 3371 and Zidovska nabozenksa obec, Moskevska 26, 400 01 Usti nad Labem; tel. 047/227-10 and Pamatkovy ustav, Hradiste 4, 400 01 Usti nad Labem; tel. 047/233-03 or 231-64.
- Interested: Vlastivedne Muzeum, Mirove namesti 1, 412 01 Litomerice; tel. 0416/2019 and Jewish Congregation: Ms. Jana Wolfova, Zidovska Nabozenska Obec v Praze, Maislova 18, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-69-25.
Earliest known Jewish community was second half of 16th century. 1930 Jewish population was 166. Pogrom occurred in 1541. Old ghetto with synagogue and cemetery pulled down about 1614-1615 and new ghetto founded. Saxon soldiers burned down ghetto in 1631. One-third of Jewish inhabitants died during 1713 plague epidemic. Peak Jewish population was before mid-19th century with 176 families permitted. Later, Jews moved to big towns. Josef Deutsch (d.1826-buried here), Albert Kohn (1811-1870-buried here) and other famous rabbis; native town of Austrian writer Seligman Heller (1831-1890); Slovak opera singer Mirko Pick-Horsky (1878-1945); and of Czech writer Arthur Breisky (1885-1910). The Jewish cemetery [Republic landmark of 1st Category] originated probably in 1613 with last known Conservative or Progressive/Reform Jewish burial in 1896. The isolated urban/suburban flat land on a hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open with permission via a continuous masonry wall, a continuous fence, and locking gate surround. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.4469 ha.
100-500 stones, most in original location, date from probably 1611 and were transferred from old cemetery in 19th century. The marble, granite and sandstone tombstones rough stones or boulders, flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration, multi-stone monuments or obelisks have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. The cemetery contains no known mass graves or structures. The municipality probably owns the site used only as a Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural gardens, residential and car-sheds. Occasionally, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred occasionally 1945-1991. Local/municipal authorities did restoration in 1992. Now, authorities occasionally clean or clear. Moderate threat: pollution. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, vegetation, vandalism and existing nearby development.
Jan Marek, Na hranici 208, 405 05 Decin; tel. and fax: 041223-662 or 28-090 and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed survey on November 1992. Documentation: censuses of 1570, 1592, 1849, and 1930; Hugo Gold: Die Juden und Judengemeinden Bohemens 1934); Prokop F. Masner: articles in journal Prodripsky kraj, 1934-35, 1938, and 1941; Jan Herman: Jewish Cemeteries in Bohemia and Moravia (1980); and research notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha. The site was not visited. Mestsky Urad personnel and other inhabitants of Roudnice n. L. in 1992 were interviewed.
ROUDNICE NAD LABEM II: US Commission No. CZCE000309
The new cemetery is located 1800 meters W of bridge in Hrbitovni Street. The unlandmarked cemetery originated in 1890 with last known Jewish burial probably before 1943. The suburban agricultural flat land, separate but near cemeteries, has a sign or plaque in Hebrew mentioning Jews and Jewish symbols on gate or wall. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all via a broken masonry wall without gate. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.5055 ha.
20-100 stones, few in original location, date from 1890-20th century. The marble, granite and iron finely smoothed and inscribed stones, multi-stone monuments or obelisks have Hebrew and Czech inscriptions. Some have metal fences around graves. The cemetery has special section for children but no known mass graves. Within the limits of the site is a pre-burial house ruin with Hebrew and Czech wall inscriptions. The municipality probably owns the site used only as a Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural. Occasionally, private visitors and local residents stop. Vandalism occurred frequently 1945-1991 with large representative ceremonial hall burned between 1986 and 1988. There is no maintenance. Serious threats: weather erosion, pollution, vegetation, and proposed nearby development. Slight threat: existing nearby development.
Jan Marek, Na hranici 208, 405 05 Decin; tel. and fax for messages: 0412/23-662 or 28-090 and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed survey on 29 November 1992. Documentation: censuses of 1570, 1592, 1849, and 1930; Hugo Gold: Die Juden und Judengemeinden Bohemens (1934); Prokop F. Masner: articles in journal Prodripsky kraj, 1934-35, 1938, and 1941; Jan Herman: Jewish Cemeteries in Bohemia and Moravia (1980). Other documentation exists but was inaccesible. The site was not visited. Mestsky Urad personnel and other inhabitants of Roudnice n. L. (1992) were interviewed.