Alternate names: Vitsyebsk [Bel], Vitebsk [Rus, Yid], Witebsk [Pol], Wizebsk [Ger], Vicebska [Latv], Vitebskas [Lith], Vitsebsk, Vicebsk, Viciebsk, Belarusian: Віцебск. Russian: Витебск. וויטעבסק - Yiddish. 55°12' N, 30°12' E, in NE Belarus. Capital of Vitebsk gubernia, 1802-1917. Yizkors: Sefer Vitebsk (Tel Aviv, 1957) and Vitebsk amol; geshikhte, zikhroynes, khurbn (New York, 1956) ShtetLink. . [June 2009]
Vitebsk developed from a river harbor where the Vitba River flows into the larger Dvina, which is spanned in the city by the Kirov Bridge. Shtetl Information. JOWBR burial listings. [August 2010] [August 2010]
JOWBR: Estaro-Ulanovich Jewish Cemetery
Find A Grave name search [Mar 2003]
- Old Cemetery
- Cemetery: Established in December 1909, the cemetery contains 6,300 graves. The old part is to the right of the cemetery center and contains older graves transferred from other area cemeteries. From 1918 until 1999, the cemetery had no security. Most gravestones from prior to the 1917 revolution were vandalized or stolen for building projects. Granite and marble matzevot were used for building interior work. The fence and gate reconstructed between 1993 and 1997 marked a change in conditions. Graves on the left side of the cemetery date from before the revolution and the interwar period. Most of those were in bad condition and were patched. The third section was in use secretly since the 1960s when the cemetery's use was forbidden. Section 1-2,300 graves, Section 2-2,500 graves, Section 3-1,500 graves. Additional burials may be unmarked as well as non-Jews buried with Jewish spouses.The Vitebsk Foundation at the Credvedi Museum of Vitebsk, Gogol Street, house # 17, apt # 24 may have additional information. [May 2009]
photo. [February 2010]
photos. [February 2010]
Also see Oktybr'skiy Rayon [October 2000]
JOWBR burial list: JOWBR: Old Cemetery
Hebrew website with photo: "200,000 inhabitants. The city had factories, hospitals and clinics. Vitebsk in 1939 lived 50-60 thousand Jews. It is estimated that of the Germans. Beginning of the war between Germany and Russia, the Germans threw bombs from planes with Russian leaflets (flyers) propaganda (propaganda) Semitic. The Germans promised to all residents freedom except for Jews and Communists. Residents Russians thought the front (the war) is still far, but on July 9, 1941 threw Komsomolim mortar houses, factories and shops. Soviets had no choice and they evacuated all the workers of the factories with workers, experts and officials, members of industry and agriculture and medical professionals. was great panic, and many began to flee. On the third day they met fleeing German tanks, and they turned and went back toward Vitebsk. Germans burned a large part of the city but blamed the Jews who did it. Terror against the Jews began on July 24, 1941. That night arrested many Jews and took them to never to return again. As well as the abducted Jews to work hard. Since the Holocaust, the Jewish community in Vitebsk not recovere" [Apr 2014]