ROVNO

ROVNO I:     US Commission No. UA17010101
Alternate name: Rowne (Hungarian), Rovne (Russian) and Rovne (Ukraine). Rovno is located in Rovenskaya at 50°37 26°15, 430 km from Kiev, 182 km from Lvov and 70 km from Lutsk. Present town population is over 100,000 with 101 - 1,000 Jews.

• Town officials: City Soviet, Sobornaya St. 12 A, Mayor Moroz (0362) 262525.
  

The earliest known Jewish community was 17th century. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 21,702. Living and buried here were Rabbin Grinfeld and Rabbin Majofis. The Jewish cemetery was established in 1941 with last known Hasidic burial 1992. No other towns or villages used this cemetery. The isolated urban and suburban hillside and crown of a hill has signs or signs or plaques in Yiddish and local language mentioning the Holocaust. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A continuous masonry wall, a continuous fence, and non-locking gate surround the cemetery. 1 to 20 stones, all in original location with none toppled or broken, date from 1992. No stones were removed. The cemetery has special section for "other." Some tombstones have iron decorations or lettering or other metallic elements. The cemetery contains marked mass graves. The cemetery property is now used for "other." Properties adjacent are other. Frequently, organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups, organized individual tours, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized frequently in the last ten years. Local/municipal authorities, Jewish individuals within country and other did work. Occasionally, now, authorities clean or clear. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Serious threat: uncontrolled access. Moderate threat: vandalism.
Kirjner Moisey Davidovich of Lutsk, Grushevskogo Prosp. 18, Apt. 38[Phone: (03322) 34775] visited site on 10/21/94. Interviewed was German Yakov Abramovich of Rovno, Vidnenskaya 33, apt.4 [Phone: (0362) 230890] on 10/22/94. Kirjner completed survey on 10/22/1994.
ROVNO II:     US Commission No. UA17010102
The cemetery is located at between Naberejnaya St. and Kavkazkaya Street. The Jewish cemetery was established in the 15-16th century with last known Hasidic burial 1940-1941. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban hillside and crown of a hill has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a private road, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds site. 21 to 100 common tombstones none in original location with more than 75% toppled or broken, date from 18th to 20th century. Stones were removed were incorporated into roads or structures. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns site now used for recreational use (park, playground, sports) and other. Properties adjacent are residential. The cemetery boundaries are smaller now than 1939 because of new roads or highways, housing development, and other. Occasionally, organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups and private visitors (Jewish or non-Jewish) visit. The cemetery was not vandalized in the last ten years. There is no maintenance now. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Very serious threat: uncontrolled access, vandalism, existing and proposed nearby development. Moderate threat: pollution. Slight threat: vegetation.
Kirjner Moisey Davidovich of Lutsk, Grushevskogo Prospect 18, Apt. 38 [Phone: (03322) 34775] visited site and completed survey on 9/27/94. Interviewed on 9/27/94 were Sokolenko [Phone: (0362) 220251], Zinevich E.E. [Phone: (0362) 221233], and Kostuk V.G. [Phone: (0362)221233]. Other documentation exists but was inaccessible.
ROVNO III:     US Commission No. UA17010501
The mass grave is located at Belaya St.

• Local officials: Kurchatova St. 24 (03622) 220785.
  
• Regional: Oblispolkom, Sobornaya Pl. 1 (03622) 25005. Historical Museum in Rovno (monument preservation), Dragomanova St. 19 [Phone: (03622) 21233]. Oblast Archive, Moskovskaya st. 26A (03622) 233004.
  
• Jewish Community, Shkolnaya st. 39.
  

The earliest known Jewish community was 16-17th century. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 21,702. Effecting Jewish Community was First World War and Civil War. Living here was Omar Shvartsman, poet. The Jewish mass grave was dug in 1941. Jews from no other towns or villages were murdered at this unlandmarked mass grave. The urban flat land, isolated. Reached by Belaya St., access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds the mass grave. The approximate size of mass grave is now 0.01 hectares. No common tombstones were removed and date from 1975. The site contains marked mass graves. Municipality owns property used for mass burial site. Properties adjacent are commercial or industrial and residential. Frequently, organized individual tours, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents visit. The mass grave was vandalized occasionally in the last ten years. Now, occasionally, individuals clean or clear. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Slight threat: uncontrolled access and vandalism.
Kirzhner Moisey Davidovich of Lutsk, Pr. Grushevskogo Str. 18, Apt. 38[Phone: (03322) 34775] visited site on 11/23/94. Interviewed was German Y.A. of Vidnenskaya St. 33. Apt. 24 in 10/1994. This survey was completed by Rovensky Oblast of Lutsk, Pr.Grushevskogo St. 18, Apt. 38 [Phone: (03322) 34775] on 11/23/1994.

[UPDATE] Photos by Charles Burns [April 2016]