Alternate names: Chęciny [Pol], Khentshin [Yid], Khentziny [Rus], Chentchin, Chenciny, Russian: Хенцины. כענטשין- Yiddish. 50°44' N, 20°27' E, 10 miles SW of Kielce. Chęciny in Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship had 4,252 inhabitants in 2006. The town is first mentioned in historical documents from 1275 and obtained its city charter in 1325. The Jewish community had been the center of the Hasidic Chentshin dynasty, town photos. synagogue photo. and photos. Gravestones made in local quarries were sent other places. Some are found at the Jewish cemetery of Lublin dating from the 17th century and in Krakow and one in Sieniawie from 1719. In the town are the restored 1638 brick synagogue, the rabbi's house, and numerous formerly Jewish homes. ul. Staszica has an old door frame with a trace of the mezuzah. website with photos. [April 2009]
CEMETERY: photos. 150 tombstones, oldest 1638. [Source?]
In 1660 the Jews from Chęcin already had the privilege of a synagogue and cemetery. The cemetery is located behind the town on the SE slope of the castle hill and can be found on the 1929 military map of the surrounding area Chęcin. Located on ul. Radkowską, past house number 37. About 100 meters, turn on the first path on the right and enter the back of the hill, where, after a few dozen meters is a playground. The cemetery is at the opposite side of the hill up a short, steep path. The cemetery also can be reach via the path running to the Church of St.. Bartłomieja, at the top of the castle go to the left. About a hundred graves are visible. As a result of damage done during WWII and under communist rule, tombstones survived in a relatively small area. The area may belong to the local militia. A 1929 book called Historical Monuments of Jews in Poland by Majer Balaban said, " A huge cemetery on the slopes of the top of the castle, the ruins of a castle at the foot of Queen Bona. The site appeared too large for the small municipality Chęcińska, but it was a cemetery for several municipalities, especially Kielce. The old boundaries of the cemetery are difficult to establish. Among the bushes are pieces of old stone wall. Preserved flat and painted gravestones typically are made of colorful local stone known as chęcińskim marble. Some Renaissance style gravestones delicacy with epitaphs done as flat, shallow grooves making delicate lines. The oldest gravestones date back to the mid-17th century with most from the second half of the 19th century and early 20th century. Basic cleaning, clearing vegetation, and removing trash has been done for many years. [April 2009]
REFERENCE: Gruber, Ruth Ellen. Jewish Heritage Travel A Guide to East-Central Europe. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1992. p. 41 and door post 42
US Commission No. POCE000272
Checiny is in the Kielce region at 50º48 N, 20º28E, 15 km from Kielce. The cemetery is located on Radkowska Str. Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Burmistrz Miasta Checiny, ul. Plac 2 czerwca, 20-060 Checiny, tel. 85.
- Local and regional: Wojewodzki Konserwator Zabytkow, ul. IX Wiekow Vuelc 3; 25-955 Kielce, tel. 45634.
- Interested: Adam Penkalla