Alternate names: Chrudim [Cz, Ger]. 49°57' N, 15°48' E, 60 miles E of Praha , 6 miles S of Pardubice (Parbutitz). 1921 Jewish population: 150.
- Encyclopedia of Jewish Life (2001), p. 257: "Chrudim".
- JewishGen Austria-Czech SIG
- website in Czech with photos: "The [landmarked] cemetery is located on the eastern outskirts of the city in Novoměstské ulici leading to the village Koci, close to the town cemetery. Established in 1889 on 2,022 meters2 . The same year the heavily devastated ceremonial hall was built and restored in 1999. Destroyed also was the founders of the cemetery memorial plaque located inside. 103 graves dating from 1890 to 1940 are visible, of which some only are the base and curbs. The cemetery is enclosed by a brick wall in which there is a monumental gateway. Buried here include a teacher and rabbi Moritz Goldschmidt, Imperial Councilor Joseph Brietenfeld and head office in Chrudim transport Emil Fuchs. No maintenance of the cemetery occurred until 1999 with the reconstruction of the cemetery grounds, the first phase consisting mainly of removing virtually impenetrable dense vegetation. Repair of the ceremonial hall and righting knocked down gravestones. Ongoing maintenance continues..Future plans include continuing recovery of the total area of the cemetery, correct entrance gates forging, and repair of damaged sections of the wall and the ceremonial hall." [September 2011]
Cemetery photos [February 2009]
US Commission No. CZCE000326:
Chrudim is located in Bohemia, Chrudim at 49º07' 15º08', 8 km S of Pardubice; 27 km S of Hradec Kralove. The cemetery is located in Novomestska Street. 900 m SE of the main square. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with no or fewer than 10 Jews.
- Town: Mestsky Urad, Resselovo namesti, 537 01 Chrudim; tel. 0455/3941 or 433-71; mayor tel. 0455/2831.
- Regional: Okresni Urad, Referat Kultury, (Director: mgr. Vera Brunclikova), Pardubicka ulice, 537 01 Chrudim; tel. 0455/2451 AND Zidovska Nabozenska Obec v Praze, Maislova 18, 11001 Praha 1; tel. 02/ 231-69-25.
- Interested: Okresni Muzeum, Resselovo namesti 86, 537 01 Chrudim; tel. 0455/2434 AND Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/ 231-06-34 and 231-07-85.
- Key holder: Vaclav Funda. Caretaker: Vaclav Funda, korbarova 301, 537 01 Chrudim.
Earliest known Jewish community was minyan since 1860. 1930 Jewish population was 117. Jewish congregation founded after 1859 and disbanded about 1894-1895; religious society with prayer-hall existed up to 1941. The unlandmarked Jewish cemetery originated in 1889 with last known Conservative Jewish burial probably before 1943. The flat urban location, separate but near cemeteries, has a sign or plaque in Czech: " Death-Jews Gate of Life". Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open with permission via continuous masonry wall and locking gate. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.233 ha. The cemetery has no special sections.
100-500 1889-1890-20th century stones are most in original locations. The marble, granite and sandstone finely smoothed and inscribed stones or multi-stone monuments have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. Some tombstones have iron decorations or lettering, with bronze decorations or lettering and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Within the limits of the site is a pre-burial house. Praha Jewish community owns the site now used only for Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural and municipal cemeteries. Occasionally, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred 1945-1981. Local/municipal authorities, regional/national authorities and Jewish groups within country did restoration in 1990. Now, there is occasional clearing or cleaning by individuals and regular caretaker paid by Praha Jewish congregation. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, vegetation and vandalism. Slight threat: weather erosion, pollution, existing and proposed nearby development.
Vlastimila Hamackova, Zabelska 37, 312 15 Plzen; tel. office: 02/231-07-85 or 231-06-34 AND Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; Tel. 02/55-13-40 completed survey on 21 August 1992 using Jahrbuch fur die israelische Cultusgemeinden Bohemens (1894-1895); notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha. The site was not visited.