International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

BERESTECHKO: Volyn Oblast [Beresteczko, Berestetchka, Brestetshke, ברסטצ'ק, Brestitski]

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Alternate names:Berestechko [Rus, Ukr], Beresteczko [Pol], Berestetchka [Yid], Brestetshke, Brestitski. 50°21' N, 25°07' E, 29 miles SSW of Lutsk (Łuck), 28 miles W of Dubno, on the border with Galicia.

Virtual Library [Aug 2016]

BERESTECHKO I:       US Commission No. UA02100101
Alternate names: Berestechko (German), Brestiski (Hungarian), Berestetchka (Polish), Beresteczko (Russian) and Brestitski (Hebrew). Berestechko is at 50º21 25º70, 90km from Lutsk, 190km from Lvov, and 82km from Rovno in Volynskaya. Cemetery: north, road to v. Stariki, and 200m outside village. Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.

  • Town: Region Executive committee of 264012, Berestechko, Shevchenko St., 2 [ph: (03379) 21631].
    Nezavisimosty St., 51 of Sascovets Vyacheslav Petrovich. Regional: Department of memorials preservation of 263005, Lutsk, Galana St., 2 [ph: (03322) 42253].
  • Regional: Historical Museum, Shimanskiy I.A.Volyn. Jewish Community, Volyn Jewish Community of 263000, Lutsk, Sovietskaya St., 83A, apt.6 [ph: (03322) 40045]. State Archive of Volyn Oblast of 263024, Lutsk, Veteranov St., 21, Region Executive Committee of Chairman-Sikorskaya L.A. Israel, Haifa: Society of Volynian Jews, work group 'Book of Memory' of Nakonechniy N.A.
The earliest known Jewish community was in the 18th century. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 1975. Effecting community was World War I. The Hasidic Jewish cemetery was established in the 19th century with last known Jewish burial in 1940. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated flat rural (agricultural) site has no sign or marker. Reached by road to v. Stariki, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds the site. No stones are visible. Location of removed stones is unknown. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. The municipality owns the property used for agriculture (crops or animal grazing). Adjacent properties are agricultural and residential. The cemetery boundaries are unchanged since 1939. The cemetery is visited rarely by private visitors (Jewish or non-Jewish). The cemetery was vandalized during World War II. There is no maintenance now. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. No threats.
Documentation: Shmuel Spector. The Holocaust of Volhynian Jews 1941-1944, Yad Vashem Jerusalem, 1990, p.14; State Archive of Volyn Oblast f. 96, op. 1, d. 79,512; Book of Dead 1854, 1865. Kirzhner Moisey of 263005, Lutsk, Grushevskogo St., 18, Apt. 38 [ph: (03322) 34775] visited site on 2/22/95 and interviewed Zalevskaya n., Shimanskiy I/A., Chemeri on 2/22/95. He completed survey on 02/22/1995.
BERESTECHKO II:       US Commission No. UA02100501
nbsp;    See Berestechko I for town details. The mass grave is located at NW part, near road to Smolyava, 200m outside village. The unlandmarked Jewish mass grave was dug in 1941 for Jews of this town only. The isolated rural (agricultural) flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road and road to Smolyava, access is open to all. No wall, gate, or fence surrounds the mass grave. The approximate size is now 0.01 hectares. No stones were removed. Common tombstones date from 1990. The site contains marked mass graves. A regional or national governmental agency owns the property is now used for mass burial site. Adjacent properties are agricultural. The mass grave is visited rarely by private visitors (Jewish or non-Jewish). Now, there is occasional clearing or cleaning by individuals. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access. Slight threat: pollution, vegetation, and vandalism, existing and proposed nearby development.
Documentation: The Holocaust of Volhynian Jews 1941-1944 . Yad Vashem. Jerusalem: The Federation of Volyhinian Jews, 1990, p. 3, 14, 72, 73, 129, 131, and 358. Other documentation was inaccessible. Kirzhner Moisey of 263005, Lutsk, Grushevskogo St., 18,Apt. 38 [ph: (03322) 34775] visited site on 2/22/95 and interviewed Zalevskaya N., Shimanskiy N.A. of Berestechko on 2/22/95. He completed survey 02/22/1995.
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Parent Category: EASTERN EUROPE