"The reconstruction of the large Neo-Romanesque synagogue in Breclav (l868) was finally begun in 1998 - extensive renovation of the decorative murals is in preparation. The synagogue is to be used by the local museum which is based in the adjacent building of the Jewish school." Source [February 2009]
- town image [February 2009]
- Jewish population: 532 (in 1869), 783 (in 1910). Also see Encyclopedia of Jewish Life (2001), pp. 186-187: "Breclav". [February 2009]
- KehilaLink [Oct 2013]
- Jewish Virtual Library [Oct 2013]
US Commission No. CZCE000064
Alternate names: Břeclav [Cz].German name: Lundenburg. in Breclav, Morava at 48°46' N, 16°53' E, 32 miles SSE of Brno (Brünn), in S Moravia, near borders with Austria and Slovakia.. Cemetery: 0.7 km NW on Kupkova Strasse. Present town population is 25,000 to 100,000 with than 10 Jews.
- Town: magistrate Engineer Jan Stejskal, Mestsky Urad, Masarykovo namesti 1, 690 02 Breclav; tel. 0627/22935.
- Regional: Eng. Architect Lydie Filipova, Okresni urad -Referat Kultury, address as above; tel. 0627/414.
- Interested: 1. Regionalni Muzeum, Director Dr. Dobromila Brichtova, zamek, 692 01 Mikulov; tel. 0625/2255; and 2. Engineer Jaroslav Zika, Postorenske ulica [Street], 690 02 Breclav; tel. 0; and 3. Otto Pisk, Sovadinova 5, 690 02 Breclav; tel. 0627/23144.
- Caretaker with key: Metsky urad Brechlav, Engineer Kostrhun.
Earliest known Jewish community dates from 1414. 1930 Jewish population (census) was 589. Community was destroyed in 1643; renewed in 1651; and a self-standing political community from 1850 through 1919. Ignac Kuffner (buried in cemetery), factory owner, and Rabbi Dr. Heinrich Schwenger lived here. Unlandmarked Jewish cemetery originated in the second half of the 17th century with last known Conservative Jewish burial: 1942. The isolated flat suburban location has no sign but has inscriptions on the pre-burial house. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open via a continuous masonry wall and locking gate. Size of cemetery before and after WWII is 0.8534 ha.
500-1,000 gravestones, 20-100 not in original locations and 50-75% toppled or broken stones, date from 1709-20th century. The marble, granite, limestone, and sandstone flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration, double tombstones, multi-stone monuments, or obelisks have Hebrew, German, and/or Czech inscriptions. Some have traces of painting on their surfaces, iron decorations or lettering, bronze decorations or lettering, and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. The municipality owns property used for Jewish cemetery and recreation (park, playground, and athletic field.) Properties adjacent are residential. Occasionally, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred during World War II and constantly since. Local non-Jewish residents, local or municipal authorities, regional or national authorities, and Jewish groups within country re-erected stones and cleared vegetation the 1980s. Care now is occasional clearing or cleaning authorized by local/regional authorities and done by a caretaker paid by a local contribution. Within the limits of the cemetery are a pre-burial house with wall inscriptions and a custodian's house. Security (uncontrolled access), weather erosion, pollution, vandalism, and vegetation are moderate threats. Incompatible nearby development (existing, planned or proposed) is a serious threat. Vegetation overgrowth constantly disturbs stones. Water drainage at the cemetery is a seasonal problem.
Eng. Architect Jaroslav Kelovsky, Zebetinska 13, 623 00 Brno; tel. 0 completed survey on 8 March 1992 using Hugo Gold: Die Juden... Bohemens... (1934) and Herman: Jewish Cemeteries in Bohemia and Moravia (1980) as documentation. Other documentation exists but is too old to use. He visited site in February of 1992 and conducted no interviews.