Alternate names: Skvira [Rus, Yid], Skvyra [Ukr], Skwira [Pol], Square, Skver. Russian/Ukrainian: Сквира. סקווירא-Yiddish. 49°44' N, 29°40' E, 61 miles SW of Kyyiv, 20 miles W of Bila Tserkva (Belaya Tserkov). 1900 Jewish population: 2,184.
- Encyclopedia of Jewish Life (2001), p. 1197: "Skvira".
- Shtetl Finder (1980), p. 93: "Skvira".
- Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), X, pp. 743-747: "Skwira"
- JewishGen Ukraine SIG
SKVIRA I: US Commission No. UA09340101
Alternate name: Skver (Yiddish), Skwira (German) and Skvira (English.) The town is located at 49º44 29º40, 94 km from Kiyev. The cemetery is located at NE part of the village, Kiyevskaya St. N44. Present town population is 5,001-25,000 with 101-1,000 Jews.
- Town officials: Town Executive Soviet, Skvirskiy rayon, Kiyevskaya Oblast, Skvira, Bogachevskogo St. N28, Chairman Pasechnik Mikhail Georgiyevich, [Phone: (8-268) 53605].
- Regional: Region Archive, Kiyevskaya Oblast, Skvirskiy rayon, Skvira, Yubileynaya St. N15 [Phone: (8-268) 52633]. Museum of History and Study of Region, Skvira, Chervonaya Ploshchad' St. of r., N1, and Kiyev State Region Archive
- Jewish Community of Skvira, Bogachevskogo St. N48, Apt.2, Chairman Shvartsburg Yefim Davidovich, [Phone: (8-268) 51943].
- Caretaker with key: Zaborova Galina Gennadiyevna, Skvira, Kiyevskaya St. N44.
The earliest known Jewish Community was 18th century. 1926 Jewish population was 4681. Effecting Jewish Community were 1784 Pogroms, 1918-1919 Civil War Pogroms and 1941-mass execution of Jewish persons. Living here were Zaddik R. Isaak Twersky (of the Chernobil dynasty) and Reb Duidl with 2 sons. The last known Skvirskaya Hasidic burial was in 1996. Byelaya Tserkov' (35 km away) and Kiyev (35 km away) used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open with permission. A broken fence and a locking gate surround the cemetery. The approximate size of cemetery before WWII was 0.64 and is now 2.25 hectares. 101 to 500 stones, most in their original location, date from 20th century. Location of any removed stones is unknown. The cemetery has no special sections. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces, iron decorations or lettering, other metallic elements, portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains marked mass graves. Municipality owns site used for Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are commercial or industrial. The cemetery boundaries are smaller now than 1939 because of commercial or industrial development and agriculture. Organized individual tours, private visitors and local residents visit frequently. This cemetery has not been vandalized. Jewish groups within country cleaned stones, cleared vegetation and fixed gate annually since 1945. The Jewish Congregation and Jewish survivors pay the regular caretaker. Within the limits of the cemetery little house for caretaker. Very serious threat: existing nearby development (Belotserkovstroy organization organized house-building) and proposed nearby development (Belotserkovstroy organization plan to build in old part of cemetery.) Slight threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion (seasonal), pollution and vegetation (seasonal.)
Sokolova Eleonora Yevgeniyevna of 253152, Kiyev, Tichini Str., N5, Apt.68 [Phone: (044) 5505681] visited and completed survey on 19/09/1996. Shvartsburg Yefim Davidovich of Skvira, Bogachevskogo St. N48, Apt.N2. [Phone: (8-268) 51943] was interviewed on 19/09/1996.
SKVIRA II: US Commission No. UA09340102
The unlandmarked cemetery is located at Jewish cemetery on Kiyevskaya St. N44. See SKVIRA I for town information. Caretaker: Zaborova Galina Gennadiyevna, Kiyevskaya St. N44. The last known Jewish burial was in 1946. The flat land, part of a municipal cemetery, has signs or plaques in local language mentioning the Holocaust. Reached by crossing Jewish cemetery, access is open to all. No wall or fence or gate surrounds the cemetery. 1 to 20 common tombstones, all in their original location with none removed, date from 20th century. The cemetery has no special sections. The cemetery contains marked mass graves. The local Jewish Community and municipality own site. The cemetery property is now used for Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are commercial or industrial and residential. The cemetery boundaries are larger now than 1939. This cemetery has not been vandalized. Jewish individuals within country cleared vegetation annually since 1946. The Jewish Congregation of Skvira pays the regular caretaker. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access and vandalism. Slight threat: weather erosion (seasonal), vegetation, and existing nearby and proposed development.
Sokolova Eleonora Yevgeniyevna of 253152, Kiyev, Tichini Str. N5, Apt.68 [Phone: (044) 5505681] visited site on 18/10/1996. Interviewed were Shvartsburg Yefim Davidivich of 256450,Skvira, Bogachevskogo St. N48, Apt.2 [Phone: (8-268)51943] on 18/09/1996. Sokolova completed survey on 18/09/1996. Documentation: Veytsblit I.I. Movement of Jewish People in Ukraine , published by 'Proletar', 1930; Jewish Encyclopedia , published by Brokgauz-Yefron', Leningrad; History of Towns and Villages of Ukraine , Kiyevskaya Oblast', Kiyev 1971; Semyonov P., Geographical and Statistical Dictionary of Russian Empire , 1865; The list of populated areas in Kiyevskaya Province'.; Statistical reference-book of numbers of Jewish population in Russia', 1918; Encyclopedia Judaica , Jerusalem. Other documentation exists but was inaccessible.
SKVIRA III: US Commission No. UA09340103
The unlandmarked Skvirskaya Hasidic cemetery is located at NW outskirt of the town, Dzerzhinskogo St. See SKVIRA I for town information. The isolated urban flat land and brick-yard has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road and crossing brick-yard, access is open to all. No wall or fence or gate surround the cemetery. The approximate size of cemetery before WWII was 2.50 and is now 0.50 hectares. No stones are visible OR The cemetery has only common tombstones. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns site used for industrial or commercial use. Properties adjacent are commercial or industrial, residential and road. The cemetery boundaries are smaller now than 1939 because of housing development and the road. Occasionally, organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups, organized individual tours, private visitors and local residents visit. The cemetery was not vandalized in the last ten years. Jewish individuals within country cleaned stones and cleared vegetation regulary before 1941. There is no maintenance. Within the limits of the cemetery are an ohel and mikvah. Very serious threat: vandalism (Gravestones were stolen as building materials and some were thrown into the river.) and existing nearby development (Now the part of cemetery is brick-works and part is houses.) Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, pollution and proposed nearby development. Slight threat: vegetation.
Sokolova Eleonora Yevgeniyevna of 253152, Kiyev, Tichini St. N5, Apt. 68 [Phone: (044) 5505681] visited and completed survey on 19/09/1996. Shvartsburg Yefim Davidovich of Skvira, Bogachevskogo St. N48, Apt.2 [Phone: 5-19-43] was interviewed on 19/09/1996. Documentation: Veytsblit I.I. Movement of Jewish People in Ukraine , published by 'Proletar', 1930; Jewish Encyclopedia , published by Brokgauz-Yefron', Leningrad; History of Towns and Villages of Ukraine , Kiyevskaya Oblast', Kiyev 1971; Semyonov P., Geographical and Statistical Dictionary of Russian Empire , 1865; The list of populated areas in Kiyevskaya Province'.; Statistical reference-book of numbers of Jewish population in Russia', 1918; Encyclopedia Judaica , Jerusalem. Other documentation exists but was inaccessible.
UPDATE: photos. [May 2010]