town image [February 2009]
US Commission No. CZE000184
Alternate names: Svitavy [Cz], Zwittau [Ger], Svitave. Svitavy is located in Morava-Svitavy at 49°45' N, 16°28' E , 65 km W of Olomouc, 38 miles N of Brno (Brünn). Cemetery: 2 km E. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with than 10 Jews.
- Town: magistrate Jiri Brydl, Mestsky Urad, ul.T.G. Masaryka 35, 568 Svitavy; tel. 0461/22355.
- Regional: Leos Cizinsky, Orkresni urad, -Referat Kultury, gen. Svobody 5, 568 00 Svitavy; tel. 0461/41111.
- Interested: Okresni Muzeum, dir. Blanka Cuhelova, Smetanovo namesti 1, 568 00 Svitavy; tel. 0461/21704. Drahomira Sustrova, ulica B. Martinu 6, 568 00 Svitavy, Tel 0461/21563.
Earliest known Jewish community was 1322, half of 19th century. 1930 Jewish population was 168. Grant of residence was 1848, establishing 1888 Jewish community. Dr. Daniel Fink, 19th-20th century, was rabbi. The Jewish cemetery originated in 1892 with last known Conservative Jewish burial before 1942. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated suburban site crown of a hill has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all via no wall, fence, or gate. The approximate size of cemetery before WWII was about 30x90 m and is now about 20x50 m.
The cemetery contains no stones, structures, or special memorial monuments but has unmarked mass graves. The municipality owns the property used for recreation (park, playground, and athletic field). Adjacent properties are commercial or industrial, agricultural and residential. The boundaries are smaller than 1939 because of "other." Rarely, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred during World War II and 1945-1981 with no maintenance. Moderate threats: uncontrolled access, pollution, vegetation and vandalism. Slight threats: weather erosion, existing and proposed nearby development.
Engineer Architect Jaroslav Klenovsky, Zebetinska 13, 623 00 Brno; tel. 0 completed survey on 1.3.1992. Documentation: Gold, Herman. Other exisiting documentation was not used. No site visits or interviews occurred.