International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

KOSTOPOL (Kostopil)

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Alternate names: Kostopil' and Костопіль [Ukr], Kostopol [Pol], Kostopol' and Костополь [Rus], קוסטופול [Yiddish], Kostopel. 50°53' N, 26°27' E, 20 miles NNE of Rivne (Rovno). 1900 Jewish population: 1,101.

KOSTOPOL I:     US Commission No. UA17040101


Kostopol is located in Rovenskaya at 50º53 26º27, 38 km from Rovno. The cemetery is located at Kopernika Street. Present town population is 25,001-100,000 with 11-100 Jews.

The earliest known Jewish community was 18th century. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 1185. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked Hasidic cemetery. The isolated urban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a private road, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds site. No stones are visible. Location of any removed tombstones is unknown. The cemetery has only common tombstones. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. The municipality owns the site used for recreational use ((park, playground, and sports). Adjacent properties are residential. The cemetery boundaries are smaller now than 1939 because of housing development. The cemetery is visited rarely by organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups. There is no maintenance. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Very serious threat: existing nearby development and proposed nearby development.

Kirjner Moisey Davidovich of Lutsk, Grushevskogo Prospect 18, Apt. 38 [Phone: (03322) 34775] visited site and completed survey on 10/17/94. Interviewed was Shetenkova-Vashenko V.H. on 10/17/94. Documentation: Kostopol the Life and Death of Community Edited Ariel Lerner. Published by Jrdum Yothel Kostopol bei Israel. Tel-Aviv: 1967.


KOSTOPOL II:     US Commission No. UA17040103

The Jewish mass grave was dug on 08.16.1941. No other towns or villages used this cemetery. The isolated urban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a private road (Grushevskogo Street), access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds site. 1 to 20 common tombstones, all in original location with none toppled or broken and no stones removed, date from 1994. The cemetery has no special sections. The cemetery contains marked mass graves. The municipality owns the site used for recreational use ((park, playground, and sports). Adjacent properties are residential. The cemetery boundaries is larger now than 1939. Occasionally, organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups visit. This cemetery has not been vandalized. Now, authorities occasionally clean or clear site. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access. Slight threat: vandalism.

Kirjner Moisey Davidovich of Lutsk, Grushevskogo Prospect 18, Apt. 38 [Phone: (03322) 34775] visited site and completed survey on 10/17/94. Interviewed on 10/17/94 was Shetenkova-Vashino Vera Haimovna of Oktyabrskaya Street. 6 [Phone: (03657) 21365].

 

KOSTOPOL III:     US Commission No. UA17040501

The Jewish mass grave was dug July1942. No Jews from other towns or villages were murdered here. The isolated wooded flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a private road and crossing other public property, access is open to all. A continuous fence with non-locking gate surrounds the mass grave. 1 to 20 common tombstones, all in original location with none toppled or broken and no stones removed, date from 1994. The site contains marked mass graves. The municipality owns the forest. The mass grave boundaries is larger now than 1939. Occasionally, organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups, organized individual tours, and Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors stop. The mass grave was vandalized occasionally in the last ten years. Now, occasionally, individuals clean or clear. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access. Slight threat: vandalism.

Kirjner Moisey Davidovich of Lutsk, Grushevskogo Prospect 18, Apt. 38 [Phone: (03322) 34775] visited site and completed survey on 10/18/94. Interviewed on 10/18/94 was Shetenova-Vachino V.H. of Oktyabrskaya Street 6 [Phone: (03657) 21365].

 

KOSTOPOL IV:     US Commission No. UA17040502

Regional: Rovno oblispolkom.

  • Jewish Community of Kostopol - Shetenkova V.H

    .

The earliest known Jewish community was 17-18 [sic]. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 1185. The Jewish mass grave was dug 08.1942. Derajne, v. Stepan, Ocova, Kazimirka, and Voloshe Verbech (10 km away) Jews were murdered here also. The unlandmarked, isolated wooded flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road and crossing other public property (forest). The access is open to all. A continuous fence with no gate surrounds site. 1 to 20 stones, all in original location with none toppled or broken and no stones removed, date from 1994. Some tombstones have metal fences around graves. The site contains marked mass graves. The municipality owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are forest. The mass grave boundaries is larger now than 1939. Occasionally, organized individual tours, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors, and local residents stop at site. The mass grave was vandalized frequently in the last ten years. No maintenance had been done. Now, occasionally, individuals clean or clear. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Serious threat: uncontrolled access and vandalism. Moderate threat: vegetation.

Kirjner Moisey Davidovich of Lutsk, Grushevskogo Prospect 18, Apt. 38 [Phone: (03322) 34775] visited site and completed survey on 11/1/94 with Shetenkova V.H. Interviewed was Shetenkova V.H. on 11/1/94. Kirjner completed survey on11/02/1994.

 

KOSTOPOL V:     US Commission No. UA17040503

The unlandmarked Jewish mass grave was dug in 08.1942. No Jews from other towns or villages were murdered here. The isolated wooded flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by crossing other public property, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds the mass grave. 1 to 20 stones, all in original location with none toppled or broken and no stones removed, date from the 20th century. The site contains marked mass graves. The municipality owns the property used for "other." Adjacent properties are "other." The mass grave boundaries is larger now than 1939. Organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups visit. The mass grave not was vandalized in the last ten years. Now, authorities occasionally clean or clear site. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Vegetation overgrowth is a seasonal problem, preventing access. Serious threat: uncontrolled access, pollution and vandalism. Moderate threat: vegetation and existing nearby development.

Kirjner Moisey Davidovich of Lutsk, Grushevskogo Prospect 18, Apt. 38 [Phone: (03322) 34775] visited site and completed survey on 11/1/94 with Kostyuk V. and Shetenkova V.H. Interviewed was Shetenkova V.H.

UPDATE: A Holocaust survivor named Shalom Brayer told me that while he was imprisoned in the labor camp at Kostopol in 1942, he had seen the stones, which were brought by horse-drawn cart to a pit he and other laborers were digging. They were directed to line the bottom of the pit with the stones, which was to be when finished a swimming pool for the camp commander and his wife. Mr. Brayer escaped from the labor camp in Kostopol during an uprising in August 1942. He wrote a book about the experience entitled Rebellion in Kostopol, published in Israel in 1996. I wrote a story that was published in the Chicago Reader, a weekly, on November 28, 1997. In that story, I used information from your source: Jeff Felshman [1998]

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Parent Category: EASTERN EUROPE