ORATOV

ORATOV I:     US Commission No. UA01470101
Oratov is 80km from Vinnitsa. The cemetery is located at the SE-center, Yarovoy St. Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.

• Town officials: Village Soviet of Chairman- Sholubay Ruslan Sergeevich [Phone: (04330)21264]. Oratov Local History Museum Director-Bilyk Nina Ivanovna [Phone: (04330)29267].
  
• Regional Archives Manager Hozditskaya Svetlana Vladimirovna [Phone: (04330)21545].: State Regional Archives of Vinnitsa
  
• Jewish Community of Vinnitsa Chairman Desner.
  

     The earliest known Jewish community was 19th century. 1926 Jewish population was 137. 1919-Petlurovsky pogrom effected community. The last known Hasidic burial was 1985/6. Zarudie (4km away) used this unlandmarked cemetery. The urban hillside, separate but near other cemeteries, has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds the cemetery. The approximate size of cemetery before WWII was 0.48 and is now 0.24 hectares. 21 to 100 stones, about half in original location with less than 25% toppled or broken, date from 20th century. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns property used partially for Jewish cemetery and partially for private farmstead. Properties adjacent are residential, road, and the reservoir. The cemetery boundaries are smaller now than 1939 because of the road and the reservoir. Occasionally, by private visitors and local residents. The cemetery was not vandalized in the last ten years. Jewish individuals within country cleaned stones and cleared vegetation in 1941. No maintenance now. Within the limits of the cemetery is farmstead. Very serious threat: existing nearby development. Serious threat: uncontrolled access. Moderate threat: weather erosion, pollution, vegetation, and proposed nearby development. Vegetation overgrowth is a constant problem, disturbing both graves and stones.
     Sokolova Eleonora Eugen'evna of 253152 Kiev,5,Tychiny St., apt. 68 [Phone: (044)5505681] visited and completed survey on 07/10/96. Interviewed on 07/10/96was Yavorovskaya Liza Markovna of 1 Kotowskogo St., Apt. 11 [Phone: (04330)21514].
ORATOV II:     US Commission No. UA01470501
     See ORATOV I for town information. The Jewish mass grave was dug in August 1941. No other towns or villages' Jews were murdered in this unlandmarked mass grave. The isolated suburban flat land between fields and woods has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A broken fence with no gate surrounds the mass grave. No stones are visible or removed. The mass grave has only common tombstones. The site contains marked mass graves. Municipality owns site used for Jewish cemetery use and other. Properties adjacent are agricultural and forest. The mass grave boundaries are larger now than 1939. Occasionally, organized individual tours, private visitors and local residents visit. This mass grave was not vandalized. Local/municipal authorities clear vegetation annually or occasionally. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, pollution and vegetation. Vegetation overgrowth is a seasonal problem preventing access and a constant problem disturbing graves. Water drainage at the mass grave is a seasonal problem. Slight threat: weather erosion, vandalism and proposed nearby development. No threat: existing nearby development.
     Sokolova Eleonora Eugen'evna of 253152 Kiev,5,Tychiny St., apt. 68 [Phone: (044)5505681] visited site and completed survey on 07/10/96. Interviewed on 07/10/96was Yavorovskaya Liza Markovna of 1 Kotovskogo St., Apt. 11 [Phone: (04330)21514].