Alternate names: Hroubovice [Cz], Raubowitz [Ger]. 49°53' N, 16°00' E, E Bohemia, 14 miles SE of Pardubice. 1930 Jewish population: 30.
website in Czech with photo: landmarked and freely accessible through the forest. "The cemetery is located on the northern outskirts of the forest on the slope descending to the SE. Founded around the mid-18th century and enlarged in the 19th century, about 250 visible tombstones date from 1788 to 1966. Like other east-Jewish cemeteries, a significant proportion of the rich symbolism of the gravestones of the late 18th century and early 19th century are present here. Buried here include the imperial council Henry Heisler Chrást. Ceremonial Hall was built between 1913-1915 in the SW corner of the cemetery; and mortuary in the northeast corner probably was built shortly after the founding of the cemetery. Partially reconstructed around 1900. In the second half of the 20th century, the cemetery was cleared of unwanted vegetation and renovation of the cemetery grounds commenced including partial reconstruction of the old morgue and reconstruction of the ceremonial hall. Currently ongoing maintenance is expected for the completion of reconstruction of the ceremonial hal, with the repair of the pillars of the entrance gates and restoration of valuable historical tombstones. "[Sep 2011]
[UPDATE] Photos by Charles Burns [November 2017]
US Commission No. CZCE000342:
Alternate names: Raubowitz (German) and Roubovice (Hungarian). Town is in Bohemia, Chrudim at 49º53 16º00, 12 km SW of Vysoke Myto and 25 km SE of Pardubice. Cemetery: 500 meters N of the center of village. Present town population is under 1000 with no Jews.
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Town: Obecni Urad, 538 52 Hroubovice.
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Regional: 1. Okresni Urad, Referat Kultury, (Mgr. Vera Brunclikova), Pardubicka ulice, 537 01 Chrudim; tel. 0455/2451; 2. Pamatkovy ustav vychodnich Cech, zamek, 530 02 Pardubice; and 3. Zidovska Nabozenska Obec v Praze, Maislova 18, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-69-25.
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Interested: Okresni Muzeum, Resselovo namesti, 537 01 Chrudim; tel. 0455/2434; and 2. Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-06-34 or 231-07-85. The caretaker with key to cemetery is Augustin Krizka, 538 52 Hroubovice 83; tel. 0454/51-771. Widow of the last Jew in Hroubovice, Ms. Bozena Maplova, 538 52 Hroubovice.
Earliest known Jewish community was probably second half of the 18th century. 1930 Jewish population was 30. Peak Jewish population was before mid-19th century with 52 families, 48% of the total population, that later moved to big town. Independent congregation disbanded about 1894. Synagogue was used until about the 1930s. Jewish cemetery originated in the 18th century with last known Conservative Jewish burial after WWII. The isolated suburban hillside, between fields and woods, has no sign. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open with permission via a continuous masonry wall and locking gate. Size of cemetery before and after WWII is 0.3001 ha. 20-100 gravestones, less than 25% toppled or broken, date from 1788-20th century. The cemetery has special sections for refugees. The marble, granite, and (most) 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 Czech inscriptions. Some have metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves but has a pre-burial house. Prague Jewish community owns Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural, residential, and woods. Rarely, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred from 1945 on. Local non-Jewish residents, Jewish individuals within country, and Jewish groups within country and regular caretaker paid by Praha Jewish Congregation periodically clear vegetation. Security (uncontrolled access) and vandalism are moderate threats. Weather erosion, incompatible nearby development, and pollution are slight threats. Vegetation overgrowth seasonally prevents access.
Vlastimila Hamackova, Zabelska 37, 312 15 Plzen; tel. Office 02231-06-34 and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed survey on 23 August 1992. Documentation: 1. 1724, 1837, 1849, and 1930 Censuses; 2. Notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha; 3. Chrudimsko a Nasavrcko, Iv (1926); 4. Jahrbuch fur die israelische Cultusgemeinden Bohemens (1894-95) and 5. Jan Herman: Jewish Cemeteries in Bohemia and Moravia (1980). Hamackova visited site in 1991 and interviewed B. Lamplova in Hroubovice in 1980.