town images [February 2009]
"Lovosice (German: Lobositz) is a small town in northern Bohemia, the western part of the Czech Republic. Lovosice is located on the left bank of the Labe (Elbe) River, at the northern border of the Labe lowlands and at the southern foot of Bohemian Highlands (České Středohoří). The closest mountain is Lovoš. The capital Prague is about 60 km towards south. Lovosice belongs to Ústí nad Labem Region, formerly Litoměřice district. Lovosice is a surprisingly long and narrow town. This shape gave a reason to Czech, widely used, saying "as long as Lovosice".Due to its strategic location, Lovosice is a significant transport junction. Beside a cargo port on the Labe River, the town has a great connection to Prague and Germany via Highway D8 and high speed railway Prague - Ústí nad Labem - Dresden. The town is quite industrial with a long tradition of chemical and food-processing factories The tower in Lovosice downtown. A region of Lovosice was inhabited already in the Bronze Age. Some evidence indicates that the first Czechs lived right here. The first mention of Lovosice is from April 12, 1143. The prince Vladislav II gave this small village to the Strahov monastery. Emperor Rudolf II promoted the village to the town on July 4, 1600. Lovosice was 1756 the site of a major battle between Prussia and the Austrian empire, at the Battle of Lobositz. During the World War II, Lovosice fell due to the Munich Agreement within a German occupation zone, commonly called Sudetenland. Only 600 Czechs stayed in the town at that time. After the war, when the German population was transferred according to results of the Potsdam Conference." Wikipedia [February 2008]
CEMETERY:
LOVOSICE I: US Commission No. CZCE000247
Alternate name: Lobositz in German. Lovosice is located in Bohemia, Litomerice at 50°30′54″N 14°3′3″E , 6 km SW of Litomerice and _km S of Usti nad Labem. The old cemetery is located 650 meters WNW of the chateau, near the street leading to Lhotka nad Labem. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with probably no Jews.
- Town: Mestsky Urad, 410 02 Lovosice; tel. 0419/2005, 2291 (mayor), 2865 (Dept. of Culture).
- Regional: Okresni urad, Na valech 525/10, 412 01 Litomerice; tel. 0416/6721, 3371, or 2332 (Dept. of Culture) AND ZNO (Jewish Congregation), Moskevska 26, 400 01 Usti nad Labem; tel. 047/22-710. I
- Interested: Okresni Muzeum, Mirove manesti 1, 412 01 Litomerice; tel. 0416/2019. Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-06-34 or 231-07-85.
Earliest known Jewish community was allegedly about 1542, recorded in 1688. 1930 Jewish population was 201. The unlandmarked Jewish cemetery originated allegedly in 16th century, probably 1714 with last known Conservative Jewish burial about 1872. Litomerice (Leitmeritz in German) and Terezin (Theresienstadt in German) before 1876, both 6 km away, used cemetery. The flat urban location has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all via no wall, fence, or gate. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is about 0.12 ha.
There are no stones in original locations or no known mass graves. Within the limits of the site are other structures: tower-blocks. The municipality owns property used for residential-tower-blocks. Adjacent properties are residential. Rarely, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred prior to World War II in 1938 by Nazis, during World War II and 1945-1981. Cemetery was obliterated in 1956. Now, there are houses and flower-beds. Moderate threat: pollution.
Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed survey on June 24, 1992. Documentation: Hugo Gold: Die Juden and Judengemeinden Bohemens, 1934; Jarbuch fur die israelische Cultusgemeinden Bohemens, 1894-1894; archives of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha; cadastre 1843, 1860, 1870. Other documentation was inaccessible. The site was not visited. Frantisek Fruhauf, former local historian, now deceased, was interviewed in 1982.
LOVOSICE II: US Commission No. CZCE000248
See Lovosice I for town information. The new cemetery is located at Lovosice-1 km W of the chateau, near the road leading to Vchynice. Caretaker with key: Mestska hrbitovni sprava (Directory of Municipal Cemetery.) The unlandmarked Jewish cemetery originated probably in 1872 with last known probably Conservative Jewish burial about 1978. A sign or plaque in Czech mentioning the former Jewish cemetery marks the flat suburban site, part of a municipal cemetery. Reached by crossing public property (municipal cemetery) and open to all, a continuous masonry wall, a hedge or row of trees or bushes surround the site as does a locking gate, the original Kohanim gate, but no gate from municipal cemetery. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is about 0.1906 ha.
1-20 stones are all in original locations with no special sections. The 20th century granite finely smoothed and inscribed stones or multi-stone monuments have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. The cemetery contains special memorial monuments to former Jewish cemetery and unmarked mass graves. Within the limits of the site is a 1986 pre-burial house used as ceremonial hall for the municipal cemetery. The municipality owns Jewish cemetery property. Adjacent properties are agricultural and municipal cemetery. Frequently, organized individual tours and participants in non-Jewish funerals pass by. Vandalism occurred prior to World War II-in 1938 by Nazis, during World War II, occasionally 1981-91, and 1945-1981. Local/municipal authorities did restoration in 1983-86. Now, authorities occasionally clean or clear (caretaker of municipal cemetery). Slight threat: uncontrolled access and vandalism.
Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/553340 completed survey on June 24, 1992. Documentation: Hugo Gold: Die Juden and Judengemeinden Bohemens, 1934; Jahrbuch fur die israelische Cultusgemeinden Bohemens, 1893-1894; cadastre 1872; newspapers Proud, 1986, no. 6; Irena Mala. Ludmila Kubatova: Pochody smrti, 1965. Other documentation was inaccessible. No site visits or interviews occurred.