ABAUJVAR: Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén

Alternate names: Abaújvár [Hun], Abovská Nová Ves [Slov]. 48°32' N, 21°19' E, In NE Hungary, on the Slovak border, 13 miles S of Košice (Kassa). 1851 Jewish popoulation:82, JewishGen Hungary SIG

Located next to the Slovakian border  72 km (45 mi) NE of Miskolc, in the 11th century, the village belonged to the Aba clan, presumably an earth castle stood here much earlier. The new stone castle was built by King Samuel Aba. The village's name means "Aba's New Castle". The castle, which no longer exists, gave its name to the historical Abaúj county (now mostly a part of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén). During the Middle Ages, the village was on an important trade route leading to Poland, a neighboring country to the Kingdom of Hungary. Since the Trianon treaty, the insignificant village is next to the border. [February 2009]

Cemetery: in Ujvar at 21º03 48º03, 30 km NW of Satoraljaujhely. Cemetery: NE of the main road from the post office. About _ mile, turn right through red metal gates. Turn left on concrete driveway, follow it around curve bearing to right. Take path through wooded area about 100 yards. Present population is 150 with no Jews. The Jewish population before WW II was 75 -100. The cemetery was established about 1860. The last known Orthodox Jewish burial was 1937. The isolated rural crown of a hill overlooking a valley has no sign or marker. Reached by crossing private property, access is open to all with no wall, fence, or gate. Local contacts are Laszlo Szabo of 3898 Abaujvar Petofi, phone 36-46-388416 and his granddaughter. The approximate number of gravestones in cemetery is 40-50 with stones removed. The marble, granite and limestone flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones or flat stones with carved relief decorations. One tombstone has a metal fence around the grave. Inscriptions are in Hebrew and Hungarian. There are no special sections, no known mass graves. Adjacent properties are commercial or industrial. It is rarely visited and never vandalized. Vegetation is a seasonal problem that prevents access, no care. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. This survey was completed by Aharon Meer, 5453 Claridge, W Bloomfield MI 48322 on August 5, 1996. The site was visited for this survey. No interviews were conducted.