International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

Print

Synagogue built in 1818. At the reception desk of Penzion KOZA in Strankov is the key from Jewish graveyard in Puclice. Penzion Koza is at Vránov 3, Staňkov 345 61.Telephone: +420 379 492 842. Mobile: +420 721 330 013.E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [February 2009]

 

US Commission No. CZCE000287

Alternate German name: Putzlitz and Pustlitz. Puclice is located in Bohemia, Domazlice at 49°33 13°01, 14 km NNE of Damzlice and 31 km SW of center of Plzen. Cemetery: 1100 meters SW. Present town population is under 1,000 with no Jews.

  • Town: Mistni urad Puclice, 345 61 Stankov. Mestky urad, 345 61 Stankov; tel. 0188/924-11 holds key.
  • Regional: Okresni Urad-Referat Kultury, namesti Pionyrd 228, 334 01 Domazlice; tel. 0189/4770; Jewish congregation: Zidovska Nabozenska Obec, Smetany sady 5, 301 37 Plzen; tel. 019/357-49; and Pamatkovy ustav, Dominikanska 4, 301 00 Plzen; tel. 019/376-78 or 358-71.
  • Interested: Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-06-34 or 231-07-85 and Zdenek Prochazka, Vodni 18, 334 01 Domazlice; tel. 0189/2332.

Earliest known Jewish community was synagogue constructed in 1811 but congregation was probably older. 1930 Jewish population was 2 in Puclice and 30 in Stankov. 10 families were permitted in first half of 19th century; after 1850 more families settled in neighboring townlet of Stankov and common congregation "Puclice-Stankov" existed. Seat of congregation moved to Stankov in late 19th century. Independent congregation disbanded in 1931. The unlandmarked Jewish cemetery originated in allegedly in 1750 with last known Conservative Jewish burial legible 1942. Buried in the cemetery are ancestors of Professor Fred Hahn (born 1906 in Stankov), historian and resident of New York. Stankov (Ger: Stankau); Osvracin (Ger: Wostratschin); Horsovsky Tyn (Ger: Bischofteinitz); Kolovec (Ger: Kollautschen); and Kanice, 4 to 9 km away, used site. The isolated and wooded flat land has a sign or plaque in Czech mentions Jews. Reached by crossing public forest, access is open with permission via continuous masonry wall and locking gate. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.1924 ha.

20-100 stones, all in original location, date from first half of 19th-20th century. The marble, 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. The cemetery contains no known mass graves, structures, or special sections. Plzen Jewish community owns the Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are forest. Rarely, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred 1945-1981: after 1960. Individuals or groups of non-Jewish origin did restoration in 1976 with vandalism afterward. There is no maintenance. Moderate threat: existing and proposed nearby development. Slight threat: weather erosion and vandalism.

Dr. Peter Braun, Komenskeho 43, 323 13 Plzen; tel. 019/52-15-58; Rudolf Loewy, Jesenicka 33, 323 23 Plzen; tel. 019/52-06-84 and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed survey on 28 October 1992. Documentation: censuses of 1724, 1830, and 1930; 1960 notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha; Jahrbuch fur die israelische Cultusgemeinden Bohemens (1894-1895); Hugo Gold: Die Juden und Judengemeinden Bohemens…(1934); Jan Herman: Jewish Cemeteries in Bohemia and Moravia (1980); Gustav A. Schimmer: Statistik des Judenthums (1873); and Karl Liebscher: Der politische Amtsberzirk Bischofteinitz (1913). The site was not visited. Prof. F. Hahn in New York and Prague was interviewed (1990-1992).