SVIRZH

SVIRZH I:     US Commission No. UA13440101
Alternative names: German: Swirz Polish: Swirz. It is located in Lvovskaya Oblast at 49º39' and 42º6',40 km from Lvov. The cemetery is located at the S part of the village, near the school. Present town population is 1000-5000, no Jews.

• Town officials: Village Soviet Chairman Mariya Potoplyak. Village Soviet is in the center, on the main road, in front of the school. Local officials: Village Soviet of Svirzh. Regional officials: Lvov Regional State Administration, Lvov Vinnichenko St. 18, reception room, tel.: 722947, 728093.
  
• Lvov Jewish Community, Lvov Mikhnovskih St. 4, Rabbi Mordekhai Shloime Bold, tel.: 330524.
• The cemetery is not locked. There is no caretaker. Lvov Central State Historical Archives (CSHA), Sobornaya Square, 3a, tel.: 723508.

The earliest mention about Jewish Community is 1563. 1934 Jewish population was 220. The unlandmarked cemetery was created is 17th century with last known Orthodox Jewish burial in 19th century. The isolated rural (agricultural) hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off the road and crossing other private properties, access is open to all with no wall, fence or gate. The approximate size of the cemetery before the World War II was 0.28 hectares. No tombstones are visible or mass graves or structures. More than 75% of stones are broken. A private person owns property used for Jewish cemetery and cattle grazing. Agricultural and residential border the cemetery. The cemetery boundaries are smaller than in 1939 because of agricultural development. Rarely, local citizens visit. The cemetery was vandalized during the World War II and since. No care or restoration. Serious threat: vandalism: The cemetery was completely destroyed in 1980s for private kitchen gardens and pasture. Moderate threat: safety, pollution. Slight threat: erosion, vegetation overgrowth, and incompatible development.
Iosif Gelston, Lvov, 290049, PO Box 10569, tel./fax: (0322) 227490 Lvov, 290049, PO Box 10569, tel./fax: (0322) visited site on 15.10.1998 and completed survey 30.10.1998. Citizen of Svirzh interviewed refused to give her name. Documentation: CSHA, Fond 186, Inventory 4, page 12; Slownik Geoge. Krolewstwa Pols. , T.11, Street. 717, Warsz., 1889 (in Polish); Catechism of Lvov archdiocese of Greek-Catholic Church , p. 236, Lvov, 1934-1935; Dodatek do 'Gazety Lwowskiej' , nr. 15-17, 1852 (in Polish.)
SVIRZH-II:     US Commission No. UA13440102.
The cemetery is located at W village, left from the lake and castle near the road to Lvov, on the hill behind the mill. The unlandmarked cemetery was created is second half of the 19th century with last known Orthodox Jewish burial before 1941. The isolated rural (agricultural) crown of the hill has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off the road, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds the cemetery. The approximate size of the cemetery before the World War II was 0.15 hectares. Now its size is hard to determine. There are no visible tombstones, separate monuments or mass graves. More than 75% of stones are broken. Some of them are part of roads or structures in Svirzh. Municipality owns site used as Jewish cemetery and cattle grazing. The cemetery borders agricultural area. The cemetery boundaries are smaller than in 1939 because of the agricultural development. Rarely, local citizens visit. The cemetery was vandalized during the World War II and between 1945 and 1981. No current care. Serious threat: vandalism. Destruction of the cemetery took place partly during German occupation, but mainly during Soviet time. Moderate threat: erosion, vegetation overgrowth. Slight threat: safety, pollution, and incompatible development.
Iosif Gelston, Lvov, 290049, PO Box 10569, tel./fax: (0322) 227490 Lvov, 290049, PO Box 10569, tel./fax: (0322) visited site on 15.10.1998 and completed survey 30.10.1998. Citizen of Svirzh interviewed refused to give her name. Documentation: CSHA, Fond 186, Inventory 4, page 12; Slownik Geoge. Krolewstwa Pols. , T.11, Street. 717, Warsz., 1889 (in Polish); Catechism of Lvov archdiocese of Greek-Catholic Church , p. 236, Lvov, 1934-1935; Dodatek do 'Gazety Lwowskiej' , nr. 15-17, 1852 (in Polish.) There was no need for interviews. We had a copy of a plan of 1876 of Svirzh. That was enough information.