DERAZHNYA [DERAZHNIA, DZIERAŻNIA , , DERAZHNVA, DERESHNJA] : Khmelnytskyi Oblast

Alternate names: Derazhnya and Деражня  [Rus], Derazhnia [Ukr Деражня , Yid], Dzierażnia [Pol], Derazhnva, Dereshnja.

49°16' N, 27°26' E, 12 miles SW of Letichev, 22 miles ESE of Khmelnytskyy (Proskurov), 57 miles NE of Kamyanets-Podilskyy.. 1900  ewish population: 3,333

• JewishGen Ukraine SIG
• Shtetl Finder (1980), p. 132: "Derazhnia".
• Encyclopedia of Jewish Life (2001), p. 304: "Derazhnya".
• Wikipedia [Mar 2014]

Russian source with photos: "Derazhnya known since 1469 Since 1538 - in Barsky Starostvo composed Veale.Lithuanian Prince Islands in 1569 - in Letychivsky Povet Podolsky province within the Commonwealth. Since 1793 - as part of Russia. Empire. In the 19th - early. 20. - Place in Letychiv. Podolia.

Since 1923 - Regional Center, 1931 - Center for Jewish soviet. D. In 1765, in a population of 310 Jews in 1784 - 316, in 1889 - approx. 1900 (60%), 1897 - 3333 (68%), 1902 - 5400, 1910 - 3533 (72.3%), 1923 - 3058 (86%), 1926 - 3735 (92%) in 1939 - 2651 Jewish (40%). At the 1st floor. 17. there Karaite community, destroyed by troops B.Khmelnitsky. In 1734, the Jewish community has suffered from attacks Haidamaks. D. In 1757, in the edge of towns and other authorities confiscated books of the Talmud, which were burned in the square in Kamenetz. In 1810-30-ies. Jews Derazhnya supported U.Karmalyuka orders (after the defeat of the rebel movement, many Jews were convicted of "pandering" to the community imposed a fine). Main occupations of the Jewish population in the 19th century. - Trade and Crafts (Jews rented cloth manufacture, beer, sugar, distillery, brick and other s-dy, they owned 38 stores.) in the 1860s. there were two synagogues in the context. 19. - 5 synagogues. In the beginning. 20. in there 10 synagogues, several headers, 3 private Jewish school, the Jewish reading room. Jews were Derazhnya wholesale, they owned about 30 manufactories shops, 3 wholesale warehouse wholesale store 3, 2 lumberyards, several dozens of small shops and stalls. Jewish population at the time was 5230 people. Says the protagonist of the story of Sholom Aleichem "German": "I myself, as you have heard, Derazhnyansky, ie of Derazhnya. This is - a small town in Podolia, a very small town, though now reportedly already Derazhnya town with railway station, the station ... When Derazhnya became station, we envied the whole county. And really - it's something to you! All were convinced that now begin a happy life, will earn gold will rake in handfuls. In short, all get rich!.. Come from all the villages in our city. People rebuilt the house, put new stores.Fee for meat increased. Have already begun to think about how to invite new shochets build a new synagogue and expand the old cemetery - in short, we became fun. And what's so surprising? Railway station, the train station! " In 1903 was opened a private school for Jewish girls in 1908 - Jewish printing I.Ashkenazi, in 1910 acted exemplary header for boys and girls. In November 1917 there was a pogrom Derazhnya hosted parts of the Russian army. 7 and June 17, 1919, Nov 17-18. 1920 troops Directories Derazhnya were staged pogroms. created in 1926 OZET office. In 1929 Jews were united in artisanal furniture, shoe Artel Artel in "New Life" (by pro-woo bricks). founded in 1930 in the farm to them. Loiter. July 11, 1941, German troops occupied Derazhnya; ghetto was established (abolished in September. - October. 1942). In September. 1941, about 1,500 Jews were shot in September. 1941 - the beginning. 1942 - another 1,500 people. After the liberation (1944) Derazhnya returned more than 100 Jewish families in 1948 acted illegally minyan. At 2012 there is a small Jewish community. Detailed hotos. photohunt.org.ua / Derazhnya.html

CEMETERY:

• DERAZHNYA I:     US Commission No. UA22220101
• Alternate name: Derazhnia (Yiddish) and Dereshnja (German). Derazhnya is located in Khmelnitskaya at 49º16 27º26, 30 km from Khmelnitskay, 100 km from Kamenets-Podolskiy, 170 km from Chernovtsy and 75 km from Vinnitsa. The cemetery is located at west, left site of river Byk. Present town population is 5,001-25,000 with 11-100 Jews.

• Town officials: Rayispolkom Melnik Boros Andreevich (03856) 91486. Derazhnja Regional Department of Culture Kutsyuk Valeriy Kuzmich of (03856) 91350.
  
• Regional: Oblispolkom, Guseynikov Evgeniy Yakovlevich (03822) 65025. Oblast Department of Culture Slobodyanyuk Petr Yakovlevich (03822) 65045.
  
• Khmelnitskiy Oblast Jewish Community Mikhail Zeleniy of (03822) 63047.
• The earliest known Jewish community was 16th century. 1926 Jewish population (census) was 3250. Event effecting the Jewish community was 1648-49-Chmelnitsky pogroms. The last known Hasidic Jewish burial was 1965. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked isolated urban flat land with no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A broken masonry wall with no gate surrounds the site. 501 to 5000 stones, most in original location with between 25%-59% toppled or broken, date from 18th century. Location of removed stones is unknown. The cemetery has no special sections but no known mass graves. Some tombstones have metal fences around graves. The municipality owns property used for Jewish cemetery use and agricultural use (crops or animal grazing). Properties adjacent are 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 occasionally in the last 10 years. Jewish individuals within country and abroad cleaned stones and cleared vegetation 1945-48. There is no maintenance now. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, vegetation and vandalism. Slight threat: pollution and proposed nearby development. Other documentation was inaccessible.
• Oks Vladimir Moiseevich of 270065, Odessa, Varnenskaya Street, 17D, apt.52 [Phone: (0482) 665950] visited site on 6/12/95. Interviewed was Sokolovskiy G.M. of Derazhnya in 06/1995. He completed survey on 06/15/1995.
• DERAZHNYA II:     US Commission No. UA22220102
• See Derazhnya I for town information. The cemetery is located at north of town. The Jewish cemetery was established in 1964 with last known Hasidic Jewish burial was 1994. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked suburban crown of a hill, part of a municipal cemetery, with no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A continuous fence with a non-locking gate surrounds the cemetery. 101 to 500 stones, all in original location with none toppled or broken, date from 1964. No stones were removed. The cemetery has no special sections. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces, iron decorations or lettering, portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. The municipality owns property used for Jewish site in non-Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural. The cemetery boundarizhnees are larger now than 1939. The cemetery is visited frequently by private visitors (Jewish or non-Jewish). This cemetery has not been vandalized. Vegetation has been cleared by Jewish individuals within country and abroad did this work in 1990. Now, there is occasional clearing or cleaning by individuals. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access and vegetation. Slight threat: pollution and vandalism.
• Oks Vladimir Moiseevich of 270065, Odessa, Varnenskaya Street, 17D, apt. 52 [Phone: (0482) 665950] visited site on 6/12/95. Interviewed was Sokolovskiy G.M. of Derazhnya in 06/1995. He completed survey on 06/15/1995.

• DERAZHNYA III:     US Commission No. UA22220501
• See Derazhnya I for town information. The unlandmarked mass grave is located at east, left site of river Byk. The Hasidic Jewish mass grave was dug in 1942 for Jews from Derazhnya only. The wooded suburban hill has signs or plaques Ukrainian and Hebrew mentioning Jews and the Holocaust Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds the site. The approximate size of mass grave is now 0.01 hectares. No stones were removed. The common tombstones date from 1946. The site contains marked mass graves. Municipality owns land now used for mass burial site. Adjacent properties are agricultural. The mass grave is visited occasionally by organized individual tours and local residents. This mass grave has not been vandalized. Now, there is occasional clearing or cleaning by authorities. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, vegetation and vandalism.
• Oks Vladimir Moiseevich of 270065, Odessa, Varnenskaya Street, 17D, apt.52 [Phone: (0482) 665950] visited site on 6/12/95. Interviewed was Savchuk N.G. in 06/1995. He completed survey on 06/15/1995. Other documentation was inaccessible.

Photos by Charles Burns [February 2016]

[UPDATE] Fence construction is now underway at the cemetery. A local initiative began to retrieve gravestones removed from the site since the Holocaust. ESJF’s fencing initiative is led by local girl, Katy Kryvko. The Jewish site in a forested area needed fencing. Also helping were her mother Тетяна Кривко (Tetyana Kryvko Tkach) and her teacher, Людмила Ланюш, to seek out and return the gravestones from parts of the village to the site. Local TV filmed the beginning of works for fencing expected to be completed before Rosh Hashana. Souce: ESJF. [August 2017]