The history of Poděbrady reaches back to primeval times.... A long-distance trade route running from Prague to eastern Bohemia and then on to Silesia and Poland passed through the then forested landscape interwoven with a dense network of river branches. This important communication intersected the River Elbe to the west of the present town - at the place called Na vinici. An ancient community and a small fortress originated near the ford...is reflected in the present name of the town - Poděbrady - "pode brody" = below the ford.
This beautiful historical spa town also known for its crystal, now in the Central Bohemian Region, lies on the river Elbe, 50 km east of Prague (30 minutes by a car - Highway D11). Surrounded by meadows, woods, and a natural park, the town is ideal for recreation and outdoor sports. A historic milestone in the life of the town was the year 1905, when it was visited by the German estate owner Prince von Bülow. This well-known water diviner found in the inner courtyard signs of a strong spring, which was later actually bored to a depth of 97,6 metres. The discovery of carbonic mineral water resulted in the opening of the first spa in 1908. After World War I, Poděbrady rapidly changed into a spa town which from 1926 specialized in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, rapidly gaining renown not only in this country, but also abroad. Wikipedia [February 2009]
(before 1898) also used cemetery at KOVANICE:
US Commission No. CZCE000151
Alternate name: Podiebrad in German; Lazne Podebrady in Hungarian. Podebrady is located in Bohemia, Nymburk at 50°08′N 15°07′E , 13 km NW of Kolin and 47 km E of Prague. Cemetery: 1500 m SW. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with probably no Jews.
- Town: Mestsky Urad, Jiriho namesti 20, 290 01 Podebrady; tel. 0324/3844 and 0324/2641.
- Regional: Okresni Urad, Referat Kultury, 288 02 Nymburk; and Zidovska Nabozenska Obec, Maislova 18, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-69-25.
- Interested: Polabske Muzeum, Palackeho 68, 290 55 Podebrady; tel. 0324/2640 and Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/ 231-07-85.
- Caretaker with key: Hrbitovni Sprava (Director of Cemeteries), 290 01 Podebrady-Kluk.
Earliest known Jewish community was first half of 19th century. 1930 Jewish population was 49. Jews moved to big towns in the second half of the 19th century. Birthplace of poets Rudolf Fuchs (1890-1942), Franz Janowitz (1892-1917), and Franz Kafka's mother (Julie Loewy, 1856-1934). The unlandmarked Jewish cemetery originated in 1898. Many inhabitants of local Jewish old-peoples' home after WW II are buried here with last known Conservative or Progressive/Reform Jewish burial legible as 1975. The flat suburban land, part of a municipal cemetery, without sign has Jewish symbols on gate or wall. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all via a continuous masonry wall and locking gate. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.1457 ha.
20-100 stones, all in original location, date from 20th century. The granite, limestone, sandstone and iron finely smoothed and inscribed stones, multi-stone monuments and horizontally set stones have Sephardic inscriptions and metal plates with Hebrew and Czech inscriptions. The cemetery contains no known mass graves or special sections. Within the limits of the site is a pre-burial house. The municipality owns Jewish cemetery property. Adjacent properties are municipal cemetetery. Occasionally, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred during World War II. Restoration was done by local/municipal authorities and Jewish groups within country. Authorities occasionally clear or clean. The caretaker is paid by a local contribution. Slight threat: weather erosion, vegetation and vandalism.
Vlastmila Hamackova, Zabelska 37, Martina Chmelikova, Nad Ondrejovem 16, 140 00 Praha 4; tel. 0269-20-350 and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 on 24 May 1992. Documentation: Jan Herman: Jewish Cemeteries... (1980); Hugo Gold: Die Juden...Bohemens..(1934); Podebradsko, I (1906). No site visits or interviews occurred.