The Jewish community was densely settled in the eastern part of the Nova Bystrice region, Jindrichuv Hradec district with the only remainder after the Holocaust being the desolate synagogues in Jindrichuv Hradec and Telc and cemeteries in Markvarec, Stare Mesto pod Landstejnem, Dolni Bolikov, Jindrichuv Hradec and Nova Bystrice.( Source of information about Jewish communities in the area.) Jewish settlement in Markvarec began after 1670; 212 Jews live here in 1857. The congregation ceased in 1888 as a consequence of migration to towns. Remaining inhabitants joined the congregation in Pisecne. A 1784 synagogue built was sold in 1916 and later converted into cement works. Twice burnt during the 20th century, the building was demolished during the 1980s. The last Jewish family (Schulz) left Markvarec in 1927. A distillery (still producing) and the Jewish street called Zidovny are all that remain today of Markvarec's Jews. The 1794 cemetery with ceremonial hall and tombstones is on a hill amidst the woods on the path leading from the brewery and east about 400 m behind Markvarec Ttwo legible tombstones date from 1804. The last funeral was in December 1939. Barely preserved and partially rescued during 1999 and 2000 by the Jewish community of Prague, the cemetery is locked and the key with the custodian Mr. Sterba, phone 384 496 176. See photos at the bottom of the page. [February 2009]
US Commission No. CZCE000129
Alternate German name: Markwaretz (Markwarding). Markvarec is located in Morava-Jindrichuv Hradec at 49÷08 15÷20, 40 km SW of Jihlava. Cemetery: 0.8 km SE. Present town population is under 1,000 with no Jews.
- Town: magistrate mgr. Lumir Maracek, Obecni urad, 378 83 Cesky Rudolec; tel. 0332/9638.
- Regional: Engineer Arch. Karel Papousek, Okresni Urad-Referat Kultury, Janderova 147/II, 377 00 Jindrichuv Hradec; tel. 0331/26241.
- Interested: Okresni Muzeum, Balbinovo namesti 19/I, 377 00 Jindrichuv Hradec; tel. 0331/21346.
Earliest known Jewish communitywas 18th century. The Jewish population was 7 Jews in 1921 and none in 1929/1930. The Jewish community ceased in 1888. The landmarked (Nr. 2023 S.B.) Jewish cemetery originated in 18th century with last known Conservative Jewish burial in 1934. The wooded flat isolated site 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 0.1223 ha.
100-500 stones, all in original locations, date from 1723 to the 20th century. The marble, granite and sandstone flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones and flat stones with carved relief decoration have Hebrew and German inscriptions. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces. The cemetery contains no special memorial monuments or known mass graves but has a pre-burial house. Praha Jewish community owns cemetery. Adjacent properties are forest. Rarely, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred occasionally 1945-1991 with no maintenance. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, vegetation and vandalism. Slight threat: pollution, existing and proposed nearby development.
Engineer arch. Jaroslav Klenovsky, Zebetinska 13, 623 00 Brno; tel. 0 completed survey on March 1, 1992. Documentation: Gold, Herman. Other exisiting documentation was not used. The site was visited by no on J. Klenovsky. No interviews.