LUGANSK

LUGANSK:     US Commission No. UA12010101
Alternate name: Lugosch (Yiddish), Lugos (German), Lugoj (Hungarian), Woroszylovgrad, Lugansk (Russian) and Luhansk (Ukraine). Lugansk is located in Luganskaya at 48º34 39º20, 182 km from Donetsk, 280 km from Kharkov and 270 km from Krakov. Present town population is over 100,000 with 1,001-10,000" Jews.
     The earliest known Jewish community was 1878. 1939 Jewish population was 7132. The Jewish cemetery was established before 1878 with last known Hasidic burial 1974. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The urban crown of a hill, separate but near other cemeteries, has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road and turning directly off a private road, access is open to all. No wall, fence, gate, mass graves, or structures exist. 1 to 20 stones, more than 75% toppled or broken, date from 20th century. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces and metal fences around graves. Municipality owns the property now used for agriculture (crops or animal grazing), recreation (park, playground, sports) and waste dumping. Adjacent properties are residential and other. The cemetery boundaries are smaller now than 1939 because of new roads or highways. Rarely, private visitors and local residents stop. The cemetery was not vandalized in the last ten years and between 1945 and 1981. There is no maintenance now. Very serious threat: uncontrolled access, pollution, vegetation, vandalism and proposed nearby development. Serious threat: weather erosion.
     Zaygerman Leonid of Lugansk, 6-th lipnya,18 [Phone 537018] visited and completed survey in 1994. Prikolota Olga Vasilievna was interviewed on 04/15/1994.