BEREZOVKA, Berezivka

BEREZOVKA I:       US Commission No. UA15220101
Alternate name: Beresovka (Yiddish), Berezovka (German) and Berozovka (Russian), Berezivka [Ukr]. Berezovka is located in Odesskaya at 30º55 longitude and 47º12 latitude. 88 km from Odessa. Cemetery: E, Tanastyshina St., 127. Present town population is 5,001-25,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.

• Town: mer Maksemyuk Dmitriy Nikolaevich of (0482561) 262.
  
• Regional: Berezovka Region Executive Committee of Chairman of Nitochko Ivan Ivanovich [ph: (0482561) 251]. Odessa Oblast Department of Culture, Borodavko Roman Isaakovich. Odessa Oblast Department of Culture of Podderskaya Tatyana Anatolievna [ph: (0482)283837]. Berezovka Regional Department of Culture, Zalivanskiy Oleg Aleksandrovich.
  
• Others: Odessa Jewish Community of Milshteyn Feliks Ilich. Odessa Jewish Community, Chechelnitskiy Shimon.
  
• Caretaker: Mikhalenko Ivan Ivanovich of Tanastishina St., 27.

The earliest known Jewish community was mid-19th century. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 3223. Effecting the Jewish Community was 1918 and 1920 pogroms. The last known Hasidic Jewish burial was 1994. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by city street, access is open to all. A broken fence with no gate surrounds the cemetery. 101-500 stones, about half in original location and more than 75% toppled or broken date from 1918. Location of removed stones is unknown. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces, other metallic elements, portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains marked mass graves. The municipality owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are agricultural and residential. The cemetery boundaries are unchanged since 1939. The cemetery is visited occasionally by local residents. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II and frequently in the last 10 years. There has been patching broken stones, cleaning stones and clearing vegetation by Jewish individuals within country in 1946-1948. The regular caretaker is paid regularly by Jewish survivors and contributions from visitors. Within the limits of the cemetery is caretaker house. Very serious threat: vandalism and proposed nearby development. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access and vegetation. Slight threat: weather erosion and pollution.
Oks Vladimir Moiseevich of 270065, Odessa, Varnenskaya St., 17D, apt. 52 [ph: (0482) 665950] visited site on 1/29/95 and interviewed Yuditskiy S.M. of Berezovka on 1/29/95 and Sych of Berezovka on 1/29/95. He completed survey on 02/17/1995. Other documentation was inaccessible.
BEREZOVKA II:       US Commission No. UA15220501
See BEREZOVKA I for town information. The mass grave is located at S near the railway station. Present town population is 5,001-25,000 with 11-100 Jews.
The earliest known Jewish community was 1794. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 3223. Zhabotinsky, Mendele Moyches-Sforimm and Byalik lived here. The Hasidic Jewish unlandmarked mass grave was dug in 1941. No other town's Jews were killed here. The isolated suburban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. No wall, gate, or fence surrounds the mass grave. No stones are visible or removed. The site contains unmarked mass graves. The municipality owns the property only used for mass burial site. Adjacent properties are railway. Rarely, local residents visit. The mass grave was vandalized frequently in the last 10 years. There is no maintenance now. Within the limits of the site are no structures. Vegetation overgrowth is a seasonal problem preventing access. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, pollution, vegetation, vandalism and existing nearby development. Slight threat: weather erosion and proposed nearby development. Other documentation was inaccessible.
Oks Vladimir Moiseevich of 270065, Odessa, Varnenskaya St., 17D, apt. 52 [ph: (0482) 665950] visited site on 1/18/95 and interviewed Yuditzky of Berezovka on 1/17/95. He completed survey on 03/09/1995.