Alternate names: Filipów [Pol], Filipova [Yid], Filipuv [Rus], Filipowo, Russian: Филипув. פיליפּאווע-Yiddish. 54°11' N, 22°37' E, 14 miles WNW of Suwałki. Yizkor: Yisker Bukh Suvalk, (New York, 1961). Gmina Filipów is a rural administrative district) in Suwałki County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in NE Poland with its seat as the village of Filipów, 15 mi NW of Suwałki and 77 mi N of Białystok, the regional capital. The gmina 2006 population was 4,478 with the following villages: Agrafinówka, Bartnia Góra, Bitkowo, Czarne, Czostków, Filipów (divided into four sołectwos: Filipów Pierwszy, Filipów Drugi, Filipów Trzeci and Filipów Czwarty), Garbas (divided into two sołectwos: Garbas Pierwszy and Garbas Drugi), Huta, Jemieliste, Mieruniszki, Nowa Dębszczyzna, Olszanka, Piecki, Rospuda, Smolenka, Stara Dębszczyzna, Stare Motule, Supienie, Szafranki, Tabałówka, Wólka and Zusno. [April 2009]
CEMETERY: photos. [April 2009]
US Commission No. AS 114
Cemetery location: approximately 1 km S of Filipow, on the W slope of the valley along the Rospuda River. 1994 town population: 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Boguslaw Konieczny-wojt, Urzad Gminy w Filipowie, 16-424 Filipow, ul.Garbaska 4, Tel 81.
- Regional: Stanislaw Tumidajewicz-Wojewodzki Konserwator Zabytkow, 16-400 Suwalki, ul. Kosciuszki 7, Tel 663741.
- Interested: Wojewodzkie Srchiwum Panstwowe w Suwalkach, ul. Kosciuszki 69, Tel 662167.
The earliest known Jewish community was 2nd half of the 18th century (1765- 274 Jews). 1927 Jewish population was 263. No other towns or villages used this landmarked cemetery: (Rej. Zabytkow region Suwalskiego-740 decyzja k1.WKZ, landmark # = 534/740/d/89, 11/27/1989.) The isolated rural hillside has a sign or plaque in local language mentioning "Jews". Reached by crossing other public property, access is open to all with no gate or wall. Approximate size of the cemetery is.8 ha and the number of gravestones in cemetery, is 20-100. Number of stones in original location, regardless of condition is 20-100. Approximate number of stones not in original location is 1 -20. Approximate number of stones toppled or broken is less than 25%. The location of stones removed from cemetery is not known. Tombstones date from the 19th and 20th centuries and are made of granite and sandstone. Tombstones are rough stones or boulders, flat shaped stones and finely smoothed and inscribed. Inscriptions are in Hebrew. It contains no known mass graves. The cemetery property is now used as a Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are agricultural. The cemetery is visited rarely. Private visitors visit it. It was vandalized during WW II. There has been no maintenance. There is no care now. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. No threats
Dr. Janusz Mackiewicz, 16-400 Suwalki, ul. 1 Maja 27a/47, Tel. d 663756, Tel.sl 663741 completed survey on 09/26/1994.