photos. cemetery photo. The first three Jewish families came to Rabstejn before 1654. Two lived here in the 19th century. The number of Jews was never higher than 15. The last family left before the Nazi occupation in 1938. The local Jewish cemetery is quite small. Situated on the hill by the road leading from the post office to the river Strela, it was renovated recently. Divided into two parts - older one and newer, the surrounding wall remains. The older part of the cemetery was elevated, which is very rare. A similar elevation was done in Prague. contact information and photo. The cemetery contains several layers of graves. Source and cemetery photos. Rabstejn nad Strelou is the smallest town in the Czech republic, maybe in Europe too. The number of citizens is very low , but tourists swell the population by visiting this lovely town and nature preserve every year. The town was mentioned in 1269 associated with the noble family of Pluhs from Rabstejn (1337). After the half of the 18th century, the noble family of Lazans owned and kept the town for another 100 years. Remains of the mediaval castle used until 1524, a round tower and parts of the walls situated on the hill above the town, can be seen. Later in Baroque castle was built. Used by journalist , it is not open to the public. The cloister is used as a hotel. German became the offical languague here in the 17th century. The town is formed by one road with its wide part in the middle as a square and is situated on the hills above the river. Some original parts of the mediaval bridge survive today.[February 2009]
US Commission No. CZCE000288
Alternate name: Rabenstein an der Schnella in German; Rabstajn in Hungarian. Rabstejn Nad Strelou is located in Bohemia, Plzen-sever (Pilsen N at 50÷03 13÷18, 34 km NNW of Plzen and 34 km SE of Karlovy Vary. Cemetery: 400 meters SW of both square and chateau. Present town population is under 1,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Obecni urad, 331 64 Rabstejn nad Strelou.
- Regional: Okresni urad Plzen-sever, Referat Kultury, Americka 39, 301 31 Plzen and and 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 Okresni Muzeum, Mariansky Tynec 1, 331 41 Kralovice; tel. 0182/964-10. K. Ingrisch, SNP 1902, 323 01 Most; tel. 035/4842.
- Key: Josef Vorel, 331 41 Kralovice 445
A Jewish congregation never existed here. 1930 Jewish population was 2. 1-3 families were permitted in 17th-19th centuries with 15 people in 1870. Only one family was left in Rabstejn nad Strelou in 1938. Cemetery belonged to congregation of Nectiny in 20th century but originated in perhaps first half of 18th century. Buried in the cemetery are ancestors of writer Franz Werfel (family of his mother, born Kussy from Zihle) with last known Jewish burial legible 1923. 19th/20th centuries burials were from small towns without congregations: Zihle (Ger: Scheles) 6 km away. Landmark: register no. 408/1562, category IIt. Inscriptions in Hebrew on gate or wall and a tablet with historical information both and a cemetery plan in Czech mark the isolated suburban hillside. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all via a continuous masonry wall and non-locking gate. The approximate size of cemetery before WWII was approximately 0.08 ha s (older part of cemetery is elevated; and several layers of graves existed) and is now approximately 0.08 ha.
20-100 stones, most in original location, date from 18th-20th century. The granite and sandstone flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration, double tombstones or multi-stone monuments have Hebrew and German inscriptions. The cemetery has no special sections, known mass graves, or structures. Plzen Jewish community owns the Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are recreational and agricultural. Frequently, organized individual tours on tourist instructional route and private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred during World War II and 1945-1981. Individuals or groups of non-Jewish origin and Jewish groups within country did restoration in 1988-1990. Plzen Jewish congregation pays the regular caretaker. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, vegetation and vandalism. Slight threat: weather erosion and pollution.
Dr. Peter Braun, Komenskeho 43, 323 13 Plzen; tel. 019/52-15-58 and 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 2 November 1992. Documentation: censuses of 1750, 1849, 1921, and 1930; cadastre of 1839, 1866, and 1876; Vaclav Kocka, Dejiny politickeho okresu kralovickeho (1932); and Heimatbuch des Kreises Luditz 1971; and letters of J. Vorel, (1932-1990). No site visits or interviews occurred.