NAZNA | Romania | International Jewish Cemetery Project

http://jewish-heritage-travel.blogspot.com/2009/01/emotions-on-visiting-jewish-cemetery-in.html Story about visiting a Nazna cemetery. [January 2009]

NAZNA I: US Commission No. ROCE-0406 -
The cemetery is located at Nazna, Liliacului Street no. 35, cod 4323, judet Mures, 4632 2430, 164.4 miles NNW of Bucharest and 5 km from Targu Mures. Alternate names: Naznanfalva (Hungarian) and Nasna (Romanian). Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.

Mayor Singeorzan Remus, tel. 130921, Sincraiu de Mures
The Jewish Community of Targu Mures, A. Filimon Street no. 23, tel. 161810, cod, Tîrgu Mures, Romania
The Federation of the Jewish Communities of Romania, Sfintu Vineri street, no. 9-11, sect. 3, Bucharest, Romania
"Dr. Moshe Carmilly" Institute for Hebrew and Jewish History, Universitatii Street no. 7-9, room 61, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Director: Ladislau Gyemant, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Key holder and caretaker: Rat Petru, Liliaclui Street no. 35, Nazna

The Jewish population by 1767-1769 census was 55-60 from 1776-1778 was 129, from 1781-1782 was 80-100, from 1785 was 65, in 1850 were 54, and by 1900 census was 23.

One of the oldest Jewish communities from Transylvania, the Jews built a wooden synagogue in 1747, which still existed in the Interwar period. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the ghetto of Targu Mures; and on May 27, 30 and June 8, 1944 were deported to Auschwitz. Noteworthy Jewish residents of the community was RabbiYehuda Leb ben Mozes 1753; the teacher Leb Avram 1753. The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established in 18th century. Last known burial was 1950.

The isolated rural/agricultural flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by a public road,
access is open with permission. A fence with a gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 700 m. 100-500 stones are visible. 20-100 stones are not in original location. 25%-50% of the stones are toppled or broken. Location of stones removed from the cemetery is unknown. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a seasonal problem preventing access. Water drainage is good all year. No special sections.

The oldest known gravestone dates from 18th century. The marble, granite, sandstone, limestone, and iron gravestones have Hebrew inscriptions. Some have traces of painting on their surfaces, iron decorations or lettering, and metal fences around graves. No known mass graves. The national Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are agricultural. Occasionally, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop.

The cemetery was vandalized occasionally in the last ten years. Maintenance has been re-erection and patching of stones and clearing vegetation. Current care is occasional clearing or cleaning by unpaid individuals. Within the limits of the cemetery was a "rabbi's chapel."

Cosmina Popa, Tatra Street no. 4, tel. 064/ 128764, Cluj Napoca, 3400 and Ioana Oprea, Bd. 21 Decembrie, 13-15, 064/190849, Cluj-Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on 7 August 2000 using the following documentation:

Recensamantul din 1850. Transilvania (1850 Jewish Population Census. Transylvania) coord.: Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1996.
Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucuresti, 1994, in Romanian, Budapest, 1995, in Hungarian
Recensamantul general al populatiei din 29 decembrie 1930 (The General Census of the Population from December 29, 1930), vol. II, Bucuresti 1938
Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967

Cosmina Popa and Ioana Raiciu interviewed Rat Petru, Nazna. [January 2003]
NAZNA II: US Commission No. ROCE-0407
The cemetery is located at Nazna, Principala st., no. 90, cod 4323, judet Mures.

Key holder and caretaker: Neagos Viorel, Principala Street no. 90, Nazna.

The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established in 18th century. Last known burial was 20th century. The isolated rural/agricultural flat land has no sign or marker. Reached via private road, access is open with permission. A fence with a gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 300 m. 20-100 stones are visible. 1-20 stones are not in original location. Less than 25% of the stones are toppled or broken. Location of stones removed from the cemetery is unknown. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a seasonal problem preventing access. Water drainage is good all year. No special sections.

The oldest known gravestone dates from 18th century. The 18^th, 19^th and 20^th century marble, granite, and limestone flat shaped and smoothed and inscribed, and carved relief decorated tombstones have Hebrew inscriptions. Some have traces of painting on their surfaces, iron decorations or lettering, and metal fences around graves. No known mass graves.

The national Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are agricultural. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been re-erecting and cleaning stones and clearing vegetation. Current care is occasional clearing or cleaning by unpaid individuals. No structures.

Recensamantul din 1850. Transilvania (1850 Jewish Population Census. Transylvania) coord.: Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1996.
Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucuresti, 1994, in Romanian, Budapest, 1995, in Hungarian
Recensamantul general al populatiei din 29 decembrie 1930 (The General Census of the Population from December 29, 1930), vol. II, Bucuresti 1938
Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967

No interviews. [January 2003]