Přestavlky photos [January 2009]
[UPDATE] Photos by Charles Burns [November 2017]
The cemetery from 1844 holds approximately 70 tombstones (only a few of which are standing) with Hebrew-German, Hebrew-Czech, and to a very small extent only Hebrew inscriptions. The oldest tombstones are Neo-Baroque. Address: 53833, Přestavlky [February 2009]
US Commission No. CZCE000391
Alternate German name: Prestawlik and Prestawilk. Prestavlky is located in Bohemia, Chrudim at N49°56'36.76" E15°55'14.05" , 10 km ESE of Chrudim and 14 km SE of Pardubice. Cemetery: 600 meters NNW of the chateau. Present town population is under 1,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Obceni urad Prestavlky, 538 33 Trojovice; tel. 0455/92-11-68.
- Interested: Okresni Muzeum, Reselovo namesti, 537 01 Chrudim; tel. 0455/2434 and Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-06-34 or 231-07-85.
Earliest known Jewish community was 18th century but minyan was recorded in 1724 with more families after 1781. 1930 Jewish population was 8. Peak Jewish population was in mid-19th century with approximately 20 families. Later, Jews moved to big towns. Congregation disbanded about 1894. Born here was the prominent authority on Czech-Jewish movement, MUDr. Viktor Vohryzek (1864-1918). The unlandmarked Jewish cemetery originated in 1844 with last known Conservative Jewish burial probably in first third of 20th century. The flat isolated rural (agricultural) 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 0.1518 ha.
1-20 stones date from approximately mid-19th-20th century. The granite and sandstone flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration or multi-stone monuments have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. Some have metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves or structures. Praha Jewish community owns the cemetery site used. Adjacent properties are agricultural. Rarely, private visitors and local residents stop. Vandalism occurred occasionally 1945-1991 with no maintenance. Very serious threat: vandalism. Moderate threat: weather erosion and vegetation. Slight threat: pollution, existing and proposed nearby development.
Vlastmila Hamackova, Zabelska 37, 312 15 Plzen; tel. office 02/231-06-34 and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed survey on 23 August 1992. Documentation: censuses of 1724, 1825, 1930; notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha; Chrudimsko a Nasavrcko, IV (1926); Jahrbuch fur die israelische Cultusgemeinden Bohemens (1894-1895); Hugo Gold: Die Juden und Judengemeinden Bohemens (1934); Jan Herman: Jewish Cemeteries of Bohemia and Moravia (1980). No site visits or interviews occurred.