Alternate names: Dobruška [Cz], Gutenfeld [Ger], Dobruschka. 50°18' N, 16°10' E, the Hradec Králové Region, NE Bohemia. 1930 Jewish population: 39.
website in Czech with photos: "The [landmarked] cemetery is located 500 meters NE of the square at the end of the building Křovické ulici. Founded in 1675 and enlarged in 1881 the final size is 2,399 m2. Post 1688 gravestones visible number 246, a beautiful example of the East Bohemian Baroque gravestones. In 1920 Rabbi Max Frank was buried there, but his remains were moved in 1936 to Pilsen. Buried also are four soldiers fallen in the Prussian - Austrian war of 1866 and a number of regional industrialists. The newest tombstones date from the 1940s, some with inscriptions commemorating Holocaust victims. In the simple 19th century mortuary is a Holocaust monument. Mortuary enclosure wall in good condition, tombs rebuilt. Currently ongoing maintenance cemetery is necessary. In the future restoration of valuable historical tombstones from the 17th and 18 century should occur." [September 2011]
photos [February 2009]
US Commission No. CZCE000327
Alternate name: Dobruschka; Gutenfeld in German. Dobruska is located in Bohemia, Rychnov nad Kneznou at 50º18' 16º10', 13 km S of Nachod and 23 km ENE of Hradec Kralove. Cemetery: 700 m NE of Main Square, in Krovicka Street. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Mestsky Urad, 518 01 Dobruska; tel. 0443/211-11; mayor: tel. 0443/210-95.
- Regional: Okresni urad, (chief: Petr/ben Pinhas/Narwa), 516 01 Rychnov nad Kneznou; tel. 0445/212-84 or 217-04; AND Pamatkovy Ustav Vychodnich Cech zamek, 530 02, Pardubice; AND Zidovska nabonenska obec v Praze, Maislova 18, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-69-25.
- Interested: Okresni Muzeum, zamek, 516 11 Rychnove nad Kneznou; AND Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-06-34 0r 231-07-85; AND Mestske Muzeum, Domasinska 360, 518 01 Dobruska. Key holder: Jiri Mach, Orlicka 974, 518 01 Dobruska.
- Caretaker: Jiri Mach, Orlicka 974, 518 01 Dobruska. Other sources: Mesteske Muzeum (town museum), see above at 516 11 Rychnove (etc).
Earliest known Jewish community was chazen recorded in 1666. 1930 Jewish population was 39. Ghetto originated in 1718-21. Peak Jewish population was in late 19th century and early 20th century. In 20th century, Jews moved to big towns. Congregation existed until WW II. The landmarked Jewish cemetery originated in 1675 with last known Conservative Jewish burial in 1947. The suburban flat isolated site has signs or plaques in Czech and Hebrew, and Czech inscriptions on pre-burial house mentioning history of cemetery. 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 0.2374 ha.
100-500 stones, in original locations, date from 1687-20th century. The cemetery has no special sections. The marble, granite, limestone and sandstone flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration, double tombstones, sculpted monuments, multi-stone monuments or obelisks have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. Some tombstones have iron decorations or lettering, portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains special memorial monuments to Jewish soldiers (War of 1866). The cemetery contains probably marked mass graves (soldiers of 1866). Within the limits of the site is a pre-burial house with distinctive features undefined in survey. Praha Jewish community owns the site now used only for Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural and residential. Frequently, private visitors stop. This cemetery was never vandalized. Local non-Jewish residents and local/municipal authorities did the restoration in 1960s and 1970s. Vegetation clearing is continuous. Jewish congregation pays the regular caretaker. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, vegetation, vandalism and existing nearby development.
Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40; and Vlastimila Hamackova, Zabelska 37, 312 15 Plzen, tel.office 01/231-06-34 completed survey on 24 August 1992. No documentation was used. No site visits or interviews occurred.