International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

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Alternate names: Havlíčkŭv Brod [Cz, since 1945], Německý Brod [Cz, before 1945], Deutschbrod [Ger], Deutsch Brod. Německý Brod until 1945. 49°37' N, 15°35' E, 59 miles ESE of Praha (Prague), 15 miles N of Jihlava (Iglau). 1900 Jewish population: 170. Town and also the capital of the Havlíčkův Brod district. Located on the Sázava River in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, the 2003 population was 24,321.After WWII, the town's German population was expelled (1945); and it received the name Havlíčkův Brod. In the late 1980s, Brod's center was declared a national landmark.

website in Czech with photo: not landmarked. "The cemetery is located 800 meters W of the main square on the right side of the street leading to Ledečské Perknov. Founded in 1888 and used until 1942, the cemetery contains about visible 260 graves, of which 120 single gravestones of war refugees from Eastern Europe in 1916-17 are In the cemetery house No. 2134, used as a manager apartment with plaque for the founders of the cemetery.B uried here include Rabbi Jacob Singer. Currentl ongoing maintenance should continue and complete restoration of the cemetery house facade, repair of the cemetery gate house including fittings and continued repairs and re-erection of fallen tombstones. The typhoid cemetery located 1.5 km N of downtown between the fields of the municipal cemetery is forested island, which does no access road. Functioning in 1917 - 1918 as a cemetery for war refugees, among whom a typhus epidemic broke out. Originally the cemetery was surrounded by a wooden fence with a cemetery house in the middle, apparently also made of wood. The fence or house is preserved. At present, 25 x 25 m. 86 single preserved gravestones have Hebrew inscriptions and on some Latin name and place of origin of the deceased. This is a very unique cemetery. By 2004 maintenance of the cemetery had no financial resources. In 2005, trees were pruned. Subsequent years will require ongoing maintenance of the cemetery." [September 2011]

US Commission No. CZCE000228:

Alternate name: Deutsch-Brod in German and Nemecky Brod in Hungarian. Havlickuv Brod is located in Bohemia, Havlickuv Brod region at 49º37 15º35, about 34 km N of Jihlava and 47 km NNE of Pardubice. The old cemetery is located 1 km W of Ledecska Street. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.

  • Town: in Havlickuv Brod is Mestsky Urad (mayor: Engineer Tomas Holenda), 580 01 Havlickuv Brod; tel. (0451) 3749 or 2111.
  • Regional: (1) Okresni Urad, Referat Kultury, 580 01 Havlickuv Brod; and (2) Zidovska Nabozenska Obec v Praze, (Mrs. Jana Wolfova) Maislova 18, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-69-25.
  • Interested: (1) Okresni Muzeum, Namesti 56, 580 04 580 01 Havlickuv Brod; tel. (0451) 4101; and (2) Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-06-34 or 231-07-85.
  • Caretaker: Marie Ulrychova, Ledecska 2134/24, 580 01 Havlickuv Brod.

Earliest known Jewish community in Havlickuv Brod was after 1850. 1930 Jewish population was 146. The Jewish cemetery originated in 1888 with last known Progressive Jewish burial probably 1942. The flat urban/suburban isolated site can be reached from a public road and is open with permission with Jewish symbols on masonry wall and locking gate. The size of cemetery before WWII and now is 0.3932 ha.

100-500 gravestones, not all in original locations with 25%-50% toppled or broken, date from 1889-20th century. The cemetery is divided into special sections for refugees. The marble, granite, limestone and sandstone, flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, double tombstones, multi-stone monuments and guardstone-like tombstones of refugees have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. Some have bronze decorations and/or lettering, portraits on stones, and/or metal fences around graves. Within the limits of the cemetery are a pre-burial house with a chimney and a Decalogue (Ten Commandments). Praha Jewish community owns the property used as a Jewish cemetery, a garden, and poultry farm. Properties adjacent are residential. Rarely, private visitors stop. Jewish groups within Czech Republic periodically cleared vegetation. Leasing the ceremonial hall as a flat pays a regular caretaker. There are slight security, weather erosion, pollution, and vandalism threats facing this cemetery. Vegetation overgrowth, a seasonal problem preventing access, is a moderate threat.

Martina Chmelikova, Nad Ondrejovem 16, 140 00 Praha 4, tel.(02) 69-20-350; and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed survey on June 10, 1992. Documentation: (1) Jan Herman: Jewish Cemeteries of Bohemia and Moravia(1980); and (2) G.A. Schimmer: Statistik des Judenthums, 1873. Other documentation exists, but it was inaccessible (records are in archives of the Prague Jewish congregation). Chmelikova and Fiedler visited site in June 1992. M. Ulrychova was interviewed in 1992 in Havlickuv Brod.

HAVLICKUV BROD II: (typhus cemetery) US Commission No. CZCE000224:

This typhus cemetery established during WWI is located 2 km NNW, __ km N of the municipal cemetery. The date of the last known Jewish burial was about 1917. Progressive Jews, Orthodox (Hassidic), and Conservative refugees of Galicia and Bukovina used it. Between fields and woods, the flat site is separate but near other cemeteries, without sign or marker. Reached by crossing private field, access is open to all via no wall, fence, or gate. The size of cemetery before WWII and now is about 0.09 ha.

20-100 gravestones, not all in original location with 25%-50% toppled or broken, date from 1916 (only 20th century). The small granite and limestone guardstone-like tombstones have Hebrew and German inscriptions. Either a private individual or the Praha Jewish community owns site used for a Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent property is forest and field. Private visitors visit rarely. The cemetery was probably vandalized prior to WW II and since. Security is a serious threat. Because of the secluded spot, vandalism a serious threat. Incompatible development (planned or proposed) is a moderate threat, and a weather erosion a slight threat. Vegetation overgrowth is a seasonal problem, preventing access.

Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed survey on June 9, 1992. Documentation: (1) notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha; and (2) letter of district archives, 1982. Other documentation exists, but was inaccessible (Records are in archives of Prague Jewish congregation). Fiedler visited site in June 1992.

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The typhoid cemetery (II) from 1890 with a large number of graves of the Galician refugees from the World War I. The typhoid cemetery was established for the Galician victims of an epidemic. There are several dozens of simple gravestones. It is the only such cemetery in the Czech lands. cemetery photos [February 2009]