ALTERNATE NAMES: MEZHIROV [RUS], MEZHYRIV [UKR], MESHEROV [YID], MEŻYRÓW [POL], MEZIROV, MEZHYROV. 49°05' N, 28°01' E, 24 miles WSW of Vinnytsya (Vinnitsa), 17 miles S of Lityn, 16 miles E of Bar. 1900 Jewish population: 1,345.
- JewishGen Ukraine SIG
- Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), VI, pp. 271-272: "Meżyrów".
- Shtetl Finder (1989), p. 55: "Mesherov, Mezirov".
- Encyclopedia of Jewish Life (2001), p. 814: "Mezhyrov".
- map and town information. [Mar 2014]
Source with photos: "Mezhirov - Zhmerinsky village in the district of Vinnitsa. In the 16-18 centuries. - Within the Commonwealth. Since 1793 - in the Russian Empire. In the 19th - early.20. - Litin county town of Podolia. Mezhirova In 1847 lived 986 Jews in 1897 - 1345, representing about 60% of the total population town. The main occupations of the Jewish population in the 18-20 centuries Mezhirova. were trade and craft. In 1787 Mezhirova Jewish printing house was opened Michel Duvidovicha Sheyvahovicha and Haskell, which were printed siddur Krimchaks "Minchat Kafa" ("The custom of Feodosia," 1793), "Gagan ve Dereh Moishe" ("Garden and the way Moses, "1802) Yitzchak ben Eliezer. In 1889 operated here 2 synagogues. In October 1905 there was a pogrom in Mezhirova. GV In 1914 the town. were already three synagogues. Jews owned pharmacy and 20 shops (including 11 grocery, 5 manufactories). In 1925, immigrants from Mezhirova founded in Kherson district Jewish agricultural colony "Red Plowman" (20 families, 107 people.). In July 1941, the Nazis occupied Mezhirov. Of the Jewish population was hijacked in place and there Brailiv shot. April 8, 1942 in Mezhirova 279 Jews were shot. At 2012 Mezhirova Jews do not live ... Detail photos
The Germans occupied Mezhirov in July 1941. Only some local Jews managed to evacuate the town; The majority were taken to the Jewish cemetery of Brailov and murdered in a shooting operation of February 12, 1942. The Red Army liberated Mezhirov in January 1944. [Mar 2014]
CEMETERIES
- v. MEZHIROV I: US Commission No. UA01420101
- Alternate name: Mesherov (German) and Mezhirov (Polish). v. Mezhirov is located in Vinnitskaya. The town at 49º8528º1 [sic], 45 km from Vinnitsa and 10 km from Zhmerinka. The cemetery is located at hill on the right side of the river Rovchik, NW. Present town population is under 1,000 with no Jews.
- -- Town officials: Zhmerinka Region Executive Committee, Chairman Kucher Grigory Nikolayevich [Phone: (04332) 21205].
- -- Regional: Zhmerinka Regional Dept. of Culture - Rubok Yuriy Alekseevich. Vinnitsa Oblast Executive committee, Chairman Melnik Nikolay Evtikhovich. Vinnitsa Oblast Dept. of Culture - Ilcuk Nikolay Nikolayevich. Vinnitsa Oblast Dept. of Jewish Culture - Gubenko Bella Aronovna.
- -- Others: Zhmerinka Jewish Community of Sklyar Leonid Shomovich.
- The earliest known Jewish community was 16th century. 1926 Jewish population (census) was 1015. Effecting the Jewish Community were 1648-1649 pogroms and 1918-1920 pogroms. The Jewish cemetery was established in 1880s with last known Hasidic burial 1941. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. Isolated suburban agricultural hillside by water has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds site. 501 to 5000 stones, most in original location with 25% - 50% stones toppled or broken, date from 1880. Location of any removed stones is unknown. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces and/or other metallic elements. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns site used for Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are agricultural. The cemetery boundaries are unchanged since 1939. The cemetery is visited occasionally by local residents. The cemetery, vandalized during World War II, has no maintenance now. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. On the hill next to the cemetery work expansion of a rock quarry started.) Vegetation overgrowth is a seasonal problem preventing access. Very serious threat: existing nearby and proposed development. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, vegetation and vandalism. Slight threat: pollution.
- Oks Vladimir Moiseevich of 270065, Ukraine, Odessa, Varnenskaya 17d, Apt. 52 [Phone: (0482) 665950] visited in 05/1995. Interviewed were Bessaraba M.M. of v. Mezhirov in 05/1995. Oks completed survey on 06/08/1995. Other documentation exists but was inaccessible.
- v. MEZHIROV II: US Commission No. UA01420102
- The last known Hasidic burial was 1880. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A continuous fence with no gate surrounds. No stones are visible. Location of any removed stones is unknown. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns site. Properties adjacent are residential. The cemetery boundaries are smaller now than 1939 because of "other." The cemetery is visited rarely by local residents. The cemetery was vandalized prior to World War II. There is no maintenance now. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. In 1930's, cemetery was used as an orchard. Those trees are damaging graves. Vegetation overgrowth is a constant problem, disturbing graves. Very serious threat: vegetation and vandalism. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, existing and proposed nearby development. Slight threat: weather erosion and pollution.
- Oks Vladimir Maschevich of 270065 Odessa Varenshaya St. 172 flat 52 [Phone: (0482) 665950] completed survey on 08/06/1995. Documentation: Town Populations of the Western Regions . 1868. Other documentation exists but was not used.
- v. MEZHIROV III: US Commission No. UA01420501
- The mass grave is located at center [sic]. The Jewish mass grave was dug in 1942. No Jews from other towns or villages were murdered at this unlandmarked mass grave. The isolated urban flat land has signs in other languages. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. No wall or fence but a locking gate surrounds. The approximate size of mass grave is now 0.01 hectares. No stones were removed. The site contains unmarked mass graves. Municipality owns mass burial site. Properties adjacent are residential. Occasionally, local residents visit. There is no maintenance now or structures. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access. Slight threat: weather erosion, pollution, vegetation, vandalism and existing nearby development.
- Oks Vladimir Moiseevich of 270065, Ukraine, Odessa, Varnenskaya 17d, Apt. 52 [Phone: (0482) 665950] visited in 05/1995. Interviewed was Bessaraba M.M. of v. Mezhirov in 05/1995. Oks completed survey on 06/08/1995. Other documentation exists but was inaccessible.
[UPDATE] Photos by Charles Burns [March 2016]