International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

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US Commission No. ROCE-0104 -

The cemetery is located in Rohani, 3630, com. Capilna, judet Bihor, Romania at 4645 2205, 251.4 miles NW of Bucharest and 30 km from Beius. Present town population is under 1,000 with no Jews.

  • Mayor Vid Gheorghe, Town Hall of Capilna, judet Bihor, Romania
  • The Jewish Community of Oradea, Mihai Viteazu Street no. 4, 3700 Oradea, Romania, tel. 0040-59-134843 (132587)
  • The Federation of The Jewish Communities of Romania, Sfintu Vineri Street no. 9-11, sect. 3, Bucharest, Romania
  • Interested: "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.
  • Caretaker with key: Craciun Floarea, Rohani, no. 2

The 1880 Jewish population by census was 31, by 1900 census was 68, and in 1930 was 28. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the Oradea ghetto and on May 23, 25, 28-30, and June 1-5, 27 were deported to Auschwitz. The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established at end of the 19th century. Last known burial was 1980. The Jews from Ginta also used this cemetery, 1 km from the congregation in Rohani.

The rural/agricultural hillside, separate but near other cemeteries, has no sign or marker. Access is open with permission. A fence with a non-locking gate surrounds the site. Approximate pre-WWII size is unknown. Approximate post-WWII size is 20 x 16 m. 1-20 stones are visible, some 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.

The oldest known gravestone dates from 1886. The 19th and 20th century marble, granite, sandstone, and concrete flat shaped and smoothed and inscribed and double tombstones gravestones have Hebrew, Hungarian, and Romanian inscriptions. No known mass graves.

The local Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are residential. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been cleaning stones and clearing vegetation by Jewish individuals within the country in approximately 1990. Current care is regular unpaid caretaker. No structures.

Ursutiu Claudia, Pietroasa Street no. 21, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, tel: 0040-64-151073 visited the site and completed the survey on 7 July 2000 using the following documentation:

  • Recensamantul din 1880. Transilvania(1880 Transylvania Jewish Population Census.) coord.: Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1997.
  • Recensamantul din 1900. (1900 Transylvania Jewish Population Census) coord.: Traian Rotariu, Cluj, 1999
  • Recensamintul general al popula]iei din 29 decembrie 1930, ( The General Census of the population from december 29, 1930), vol. II, Bucuresti 1938
  • Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucuresti, 1994, in Romanian
  • Recensamantul general al populatiei Romaniei din 29 decembrie 1930, vol.
    II (The General Census of the Population of Romania from 29 December 1930,
    vol. II), Bucuresti, 1938
  • Recensamintul general al populatiei din Romania din 7 ianuarie 1992 (The General Census of the Population of Romania from January 7, 1992), vol. I, Bucuresti, 1994
  • Tereza Mozes, Evreii din Oradea (The Jews from Oradea), Bucuresti, Ed. Hasefer, 1997
  • Izvoare si marturii referitoare la evreii din Romania (Sources and Testimonies on the Jews in Romania), vol. III/1-2, coord. L. Gyemant, L. Benjamin, Bucuresti, Ed. Hasefer, 1999
  • Zsido Lexicon, ed. by Ujvari Peter, Budapest, 1929
  • Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucuresti, 1994, in Romanian
  • Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967
  • Otto Mitelstrass, Historisch-Landeskundlicher Atlas von Siebenburgen, Ortsnamenbuch, Heidelberg, 1992
  • Microsoft Auto Route Express 1999

No interviews. [January 2003]