A wooden synagogue of an unknown date burnt down in 1928. The Jewish community was densely settled in the eastern part of this region 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. The 18th century cemetery with tombstones is 50 m right of the road from Olsany towards the village Hermanec, about 280 m behind the end of the village. Because of the Czech speaking Jewish communities in Olsany and Strmilov, several tombstones are written in the Czech language. [February 2009]
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German/Czech written names on the tombstones. See a picture and names of those buried. Source: Julius Muller, Praha; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [date before 1997?]
US Commission No. CZCE000138
Alternate name: Wolschan in German. Olsany is located in Morava-Jindrichuv Hradec at 49÷09 15÷15, 40 km SW of Jihlava. Cemetery: 0.5 km SE. Present town population is under 1,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Mayor Jiri Klang, Obecni urad, 378 56 Studena; tel. 0332/92236.
- 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 community was beginning of 18th century. 1930 Jewish population was 7. Jewish community ceased in 1890. The Jewish cemetery originated about 1850 with last known Conservative Jewish burial in 1920s or 1930s. Landmarked: (Nr. 2071 S.B.) Between fields and woods, the 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 0.0849 ha.
20-100 stones, all in original locations, date from 18th-20th century. The granite flat shaped stones or 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. Within the limits of the site is a destroyed pre-burial house. Praha Jewish community owns cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural. Rarely, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred 1945-1981 with no maintenance. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, pollution, vegetation and vandalism. Slight threat: existing and proposed nearby development.
Engineer-Arch Jaroslav Klenovsky, Zebetinska 13, 623 00 Brno; tel. 0 completed survey on 1 March 1992. Documentation: Hugo Gold: Die Juden und Juden Gemeinden Morava 1928. Other exisiting documentation was not used. No interviews.