Used Strakonice before their cemetery was founded in first half of 19th century. The stone castle was built by the Bavor family at the junction of Otava with Volyňska rivers in the 13th century. Museum of the Middle Pootaví has information about the history of the region, various weapons, and piper music. On the square are the building of the previous town-hall, meat shops, and the birthplace of the marionetter Josef Skups. Visit the Renaissance tower of the castle, Jelenka. Jewish Cemetery for photo and contact information: The cemetery was founded probably in 18th century. The oldest gravestone is from 1804. The last funeral took place there in the first quarter of 20th century. [February 2009]
OSEK: US Commission No. CZCE000285
Alternate name: b. Wossek; c. Vosek. Osek is located in Bohemia, Strakonice at 49÷19 13÷58, 8 km NNE of Strakonice and 12 km W of Pisek. Cemetery: 900 m SW of chateau. Present town population is under 1,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Mistni urad Osek, 387 31 Radomysl; tel. 0342/922-62 and Mayor in Radomysl; tel. 0342/922-55.
- Regional: Okresni Urad Referat Kultury, 386 01 Strakonice; tel. 0342/242-20 and Zidovska Nabozenska Obec, Maislova 18, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-69-25; and Pamatkovy ustav, namesti Premysla Otakara 34, 370 21 Ceske Budejovice; tel. 038/237-92.
- Interested: Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-06-34, 231-07-85 and Muzeum stredniho Pootavi, hrad, 386 11 Stakonice; (regional historian), Vladimir Braun, 387 01 Volyne 14; and (local historian), Prof Jana Vackarova. Summer address: Osek 49, 387 31 Radomysl. Winter address: Volfova 56, 318 09 Plzen.
Earliest known Jewish community was synagogue recorded in 1817 (Congregation probably started in second half of 18th century). 20 families were permitted in first half of 19th century (95 people in 1849). Jews moved to big towns after 1848. More Jews lived here than in neighboring townlet, *Radomysl. Last Jewish family left Osek in early 20th century. Ancestors of writer Franz Kafka, including his father Herrman born here in 1852, lived here. The Jewish cemetery originated probably before 1838. Buried in the cemetery is Jakob Kafka (1814-1889), grandfather of Franz Kafka (gravestone preserved), with last known Conservative Jewish burial after 1905. Landmark: 1st category national monument. Between fields and woods, the flat isolated site has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all via a broken masonry wall without gate. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.033 ha.
Approximately 30 stones, most in original location, date from first half of 19th-20th century. The marble, granite and limestone tombstones are flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration or multi-stone monuments have Hebrew and German inscriptions. The cemetery contains no known mass graves or structures. Praha Jewish community owns cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural and woods. Occasionally, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred prior to World War II, during World War II and in ?. Local non-Jewish residents did restoration about 1990 but no maintenance. Moderate threats: pollution, vegetation and vandalism. Slight threat: weather erosion.
Vlastmila Hamackova, Zabelska 37, Martina Chmelikova, Nad Ondrejovem 16, 140 00 Praha 4; tel. 02/69-20-350 and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed survey on 7 November 1992. Documentation: Census 1835, 1849,1900,1930; Jan Herman: Jewish Cemeteries. (1980); letter of V. Braun (1981); letters of J Vackarova, (1982-1983). The site was not visited. Mrs. Hinkova from town council of Strakonice (1992) and Mrs Antonie Kettnerova, last Jewish inhabitant of Strakonice (1992) were interviewed.
*Radomysl: