49°54' N 16°02' E, 70.6 miles E of Praha,. Chrudim District of Pardubice Region with approximately 2,600 inhabitants. [June 2014] Wikipedia.
Luže is a town in the Pardubice Region with around 2,600 inhabitants. Villages Bělá, Brdo, Dobrkov, Doly, Domanice, Košumberk, Rabouň, Radim, Srbce, Voletice and Zdislav are administrative parts of Luže. Town website in Czech."In Luze are notable architectural and cultural landmarks. The oldest of them is a ruin of the Gothic Castle Kosumberk with a renaissance outbuilding, which was first recorded in 1318. The domain with the same name was taken over by the aristocratic family of Lords of Chlum in 1372 and during the years 1372-1564 Kosumberk was become the residence of Lords of Chlum and Kosumberk. After fire in 1573 the castle was rebuilt in a renaissance style. In 1922 the romantic remains got the Society for Kosumberk Renewal and supported them structurally. Nowadays, the remains of the castle are the property of the municipality of Luze. An exposition of the castle history in takiing account of the Luze history is installed here (the new exposition has been opened since June 14th, 2001, phone: +42 469 672 191)...On the south-east side of the village is the suburb, which was occupied by a big Jewish community. Its inhabitants (309 persons in 1920) were practically exterminated during the Second World War. Newly renovated synagogue [note: as gallery and theater] from the 18th century and the big Jewish cemetery about 1 km north from Luze with the oldest tombs from the 17th century have been memorialized their destinies. Since the 18th century the village has had own rabbinate." Source [February 2009]
The synagogue in Luze (ca 1760) avoided modernization. The bimah remained intact in the main central area. [January 2009]
Synagogue. [June 2014]
The Jews and Jewish Communities of Bohemia in the past and present [June 2014]
CEMETERY
Cemetery photos and photo [February 2009]
[UPDATE] Photos by Charles Burns [November 2017]
A district on n the SE side of town was inhabited by a Jewish community with a rabbi since the late 18th century. Jewish population was 309 persons in 1920, who almost all were exterminated during WWII. The Synagogue from the 18th century has been renovated. A large Jewish cemetery about 1 km north of Luže has graves dating back to the 17th century.
"The Jewish cemetery in Luze also fell into disrepair after the war, and was partially pillaged, as tombstones were very valuable. Our family's tombstone was also pushed over, but because it was very heavy the thieves didn't steal it. The cemetery was also renovated a few years ago." Source [June 2014]
US Commission No. CZCE000359
Alternate name: Lusche in German; Luz in Hungarian. Luze is located in Bohemia, Chrudim at 49º54 16º02, 10 km SW of Vysoke Myto; 23 km NW of Pardubice. Cemetery: 1300 meters ENE of the square. Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with fewer than 10 (mixed marriages descendants are only Jews).
- Town: Obecni urad, 538 54 Luze; tel. 0455/99-11-01, mayor tel. 0455/99-11-28.
- Regional: Okresni Urad, Referat Kultury (Director: mgr. Vera Brunclikova), Pardubicka ulice, 537 01 Chrudim; tel. 0455/2451 AND Pamatkovy Ustav Vychodnich Cech zamek, 530 02 Pardubice AND Zidovska Nabozenska Obec v Praze, Maislova 18, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-60-25.
- Interested: Okresni Muzeum, Resselovo namesti, 537 01 Chrudim; tel. 0455/2434 AND Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-06-34 or 231-07-85 AND Spolek pratel hradu Kosumberka (Friends Club for the Castle Kosumberk), 538 54 Luze.
Earliest known Jewish community was first quarter of the 17th century. 1930 Jewish population was 32 Jews and 81 persons in Vysoke Myto but 42 Jews by racial laws in Luze in 1942. Peak Jewish population was mid-19th century (about 55 families). Later, Jews moved to big towns. Congregation existed until 1941. A native of this town was Israeli astronomer Jiri Alter (1891-1972). The Jewish cemetery originated in first half of mid-17th century. Buried in the unlandmarked cemetery are rabbis and nobleman Mordecai von Leidesdorfer (died 1810) with last known Conservative Jewish burial before WWII. Vysoke Myto (Hohenmauth in German), 11 km away, used this cemetery since mid-19th century. The wooded isolated hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all via a continuous masonry wall and non-locking gate. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.3472 ha.
100-500 stones, most in original locations, are without special sections, known mass graves, or structures. The 17th-20th century marble, granite, limestone, sandstone and slate flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration or multi-stone monuments have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. Some have metal fences around graves. Praha Jewish community owns the site used only as a Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural and woods. Occasionally, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents stop. Vandalism occurred during World War II, occasionally 1945-1991. Local non-Jewish residents, Jewish individuals and groups within country did restoration in 1979-80, 1991-92. Now, there is occasional clearing or cleaning by individuals. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, vegetation and vandalism. Slight threat: weather erosion, pollution and existing nearby development.
Vlastimila Hamackova, Zabelska 37, 312 15 Plzen; tel. office 02/231-06-34 and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-3-340 completed survey on August 23, 1992. Documentation: census 1724, 1849, 1930; Hugo Gold: Die Juden and Judengemeinden Bohemens, 1934; notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha; Jahrbuch fur die israelische Cultusgemeinden Bohemens, 1893-1894; Jan Herman: Jewish Cemeteries of Bohemia and Moravia, 1980.