50°57' N 17°47' E, 164.6 miles WSW of Warszawa. Miejsce is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Świerczów within Namysłów powiat, Opole Voivodeship in SW Poland, 15 km (9 mi) S of Namysłów and 33 km (21 mi) N of the regional capital Opole. The first mention of Jews at osadnictwie come from the 1657 year. The cemetery existed as early as 1771 because the Museum in Frankfurt am Main has four wooden matzevot dated 1771 - 1805. On August 17, 1787, the Jewish community officially signed an agreement for land on which there already was a cemetery. Thereafter, the cemetery wall and tahara were built, and the area of mortuary expanded. The second half of the nineteenth century began mass emigration of Jews so that in 1860, the Jewish community had been part of Namysłowie and later separated. Nevertheless, the Jewish cemetery was still used. The cemetery is located in the forest on a small hill,about 1.5 km on the asphalt road. Coming from Namyslow, turn left before the small bridge before the buildings. On the edge of the forest are large granite stones that indicate the entrance to the cemetery.The last known burial was on February 26, 1937. Part of gravestones was destroyed during WWII. Deterioation continued after liberation. Under the PRL, the wall of graveyard was demolished and many matzevot stolen. Some gravestones are repaired (broken parts reset on the base). [June 2009]
US Commission No. POCE000526
(Alternate name: Stadtel. in German) Miejsce is located in Opolskie at 50º57 17º46, 40 km from Opole. Cemetery location: Swierczow. Present town population is under 1,000 without Jews.
- Town: Urzad Gminy w Swierczowie, tel. 70.
- Regional: Wojewodzki Konserwator Zabytkow, mgr. J. Prusiewicz, 45-082 Opole, ul. Piastowska 14.
The earliest known Jewish community was 1657. 1925 Jewish population was 10. The Jewish Progressive/Reform cemetery was established before 1772 with last known burial 20 June 1932. Landmark no. 239/90. Between fields and woods, isolated hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all without wall or gate. The size of the cemetery before and after WWII is 0.78 hectare. 100-500 gravestones, 20-100 not in original locations with 25%-50% toppled or broken, date from 21 May 1772 (Gitel. bat Abraham). The 18th-20th century marble and sandstone flat stones with carved relief decorations or double tombstones have Hebrew and German inscriptions. Some have traces of painting on their surfaces. No known mass graves. The cemetery owner is " Parafia 224M.-KAT. w Biestrzykdaicach" The property is used as Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are agricultural. Private visitors rarely visit. The cemetery is vandalized occasionally. No maintenance, care, or structures.
Marcin Wodzinski, ul. Jednosci Narodowej 187/13 Wroclaw, tel. 21-68-08 completed survey 6 April 1992. He visited site August 1989 and July 1991. Interviews were conducted.