A town in the South Bohemian Region with around 1,660 inhabitants, the surrounding villages include Boješice, Kakovice, Ohař, Plíškovice, Ráztely, Řeteč, Sochovice and Touškov as administrative parts of Mirovice. [February 2009]
cemetery photos [February 2009]
map and photos: "The small town Mirovice lies about 25 km north of the town Písek and about 7 km south-west of the town Březnice on the Skalice river. Mirovice was founded in the 13th century. St. Clement's Church stood here as early as the 14th century. During the Hussite Wars the town was raided. At the turn of the 16th century, the town obtained rights for annual markets, beer brewing and to collect tolls. During the Thirty Years' War the town was plundered again. New development started in the 18th century. The originally deanery, Gothic St. Clement's Church, stands not far from the square. It was built in the 14th century and later reconstructed in the Baroque style. A valuable Marian column from 1717 can be found in the park in the square. The old Jewish cemetery is situated north of Mirovice. It originate[d] in 1680 and was used until the Second World War." [February 2009] NEARBY:
Orlík nad Vltavou chateau
Zvíkov castle
small town Čimelice
town and chateau Blatná
town and chateau Březnice
US Commission No. CZCE000365
Alternate German name: Mirowitz. Mirovice is located in Bohemia, Pizek at 49°30′55.99″N 14°2′8.95″E , 24 km NNW of Pisek and 54 km SE of Plzen. Cemetery: 1 km N of Catholic Church. Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Obecni urad, 398 06 Mirovice, tel 0362/991101 or 991134.
- Regional: 1. Jewish Congregation: ZNO Praha (Ms. Jana Wolfova), Maislova 18, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/2318664; 2. Pamatokovy ustav, Jiznich Cech, namesti Premysla Otakara 34, 370 21 Ceske Budejovice; tel. 038/23792; and 3. Head, Zbynek Samsuk, ulica O. Sevcika 207, Okresni Urad-Referat Kultury 397 01 Pisek; tel. 0362/4384; 4. Jiri Hladky (Inspector for Care of Historical Monuments) at same address.
- Interested: 1. Prachenske Muzeum, Head: Vaclav Vartos, Velke namesti 114, 397 24 Pisek; tel. 0362/4731 to 2; 2. Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/2310634; and 3. Jan Toman, regional historian and former conservator of monuments, 398 06 Mirovice 302.
Earliest known Jewish community was late 17th century. 1930 Jewish population was 34. Jewish community (12 families) was banished in 1722 and settled in both suburbs and nearby village; suburban ghetto originated in 1724. Peak Jewish population was in 1890 with 50 people. The Jewish cemetery originated in 17th century with last known Conservative Jewish burial in approximately 1955. Svucice, 4 km away, used this probably landmarked cemetery. Between fields and woods, the hillside, separate but near cemeteries, has no sign but has gate or wall with 2 yellow Mogen Davids on each side of the new cemetery gate. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all via a broken masonry wall and non-locking gate. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.403 ha. The cemetery has newer part level and older part on the slope.
100 stones date from 1764-20th century. The marble, granite, limestone and sandstone flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration, sculpted monuments (1 statue) or multi-stone monuments have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves but within the limits of the site is a pre-burial house renovated. Praha Jewish community owns cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural and forest. Occasionally, organized Jewish tours or pilgrimage groups, private visitors and local residents stop. Vandalism occurred occasionally 1945-1991. Jewish groups within the country did the restoration recently. Now, there is probably regular caretaker. Serious threat: vandalism.
Ladislav Mertl, Mgr. of Geography, Kubanske namesti 1322/17, Praha 10-Vrsovice; tel. 02/743213; and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed survey on August 1992. Documentation: 1. Jan Toman: Dejiny mesta Mirovic, I (1948); 2. Jan Herman: Jewish Cemeteries in Bohemia and Moravia (1980); 3. Hugo Gold: Die Juden und Judengemeinden Bohemens (1934); 4. Notes of the Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha; 5. 1983-1986 letters of J. Toman and 6. censuses of 1724, 1859, 1930, and 1991. Other documentation was inaccessible. No site visits or interviews occurred.