The cemetery is located in Oravita, Livezilor Street, 1750, judet Caras Severin, 4502 2140, 221.3 miles WNW of Bucharest and 57 km from Resita. Alternate names: Oravica (Hungarian); Orawitza (German). Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.
- Mayor Marcel Lazar, Town Hall of Oravita, 1750, Romania
- The Jewish Community of Resita, Mihai Viteazu Street no. 8, Romania, tel. 0040-55-211048
- The Federation of The Jewish Communities of Romania, Sfintu Vineri Street no. 9-11, sect. 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: Nastase Cornel, Livezilor Street no. 12, Oravita
The 1880 Jewish population by census was 72; by1900 census was 82, and in 1930 was 101. The unlandmarked Orthodox and Neolog cemetery was established in second half of the 19th century. Last known burial was interwar period.
The urban flat land, separate but near other cemeteries, Jewish symbols on wall or gate mark the cemetery. Reached by a public road, access is open with permission. A fence with a gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre-WWII size is unknown. Approximate post-WWII size is 120 X 42 m. 20-100 stones are visible, some not in original location. 25%-50% 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.
No special sections. The oldest known gravestone dates from second half of the 19th century. The 19th and 20th century marble, granite, and limestone concrete flat shaped, smoothed and inscribed, and carved relief-decorated, and double tombstones have Hebrew and German inscriptions. Some have metal fences around graves. No known mass graves.
The local Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are recreational and agricultural. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been clearing vegetation. Current care is regular unpaid caretaker. No structures.
Claudia Ursutiu, Pietroasa Str. no. 21, 3400 Cluj Napoca, Romania, tel. 0040-64-151073 visited the site and completed the survey in 4 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
- Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967
- Pinkas Hakehiloth: Encyclopaedia of Jewish Communities. Romania, vol. I-II, Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, 1969, 1980 (in Hebrew)
- Microsoft Auto Route Express 1999
Claudia and Adrian Ursutiu visited and interviewed Golombau Nicolae, Livezilor Street no. 12, 04. 07. 2001, Oravita. [January 2003]