photo of restored wall and cleared cemetery [February 2009]
US Commission No. CZCE000264
Alternate name: Stepanow and Markt-Stiepanau in German and Trhový Štěpánov in Czech. Trhovy Stepanov is located in Bohemia, Benesov at 49°42′N 15°00′E , 25 km ESE of Benesov and 56 km SE of Prague. Cemetery: 1 km SouthW. Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with probably no Jews.
- Town: Obecni urad, 257 63 Trhovy Stepanov.
- Regional: Jewish congregation: ZNO Praha (Ms. Jana Wolfova) Maislova 18, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/2318664 and Okresni Urad-Referat Kultury, 256 01 Benesov u Prahy and PhDr Jiri Tywoniak (District Conservator of Monuments), Zapova 601/22, 256 01 Benesov u Prahy; tel. 0301/23618.
- Interested: Okresni Muzeum, Benesov, Male namesti 74, 256 01 Benesov u Prahy and Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/2310634 and Jan Svoboda, regional historian, Lidicka 732, 258 01 Vlasim.
Earliest known Jewish community was recorded in early 18th century (Chevra Kadisha allegedly founded in the 15th century). 1930 Jewish population was 6 Jews. Jews moved to big towns in second half of 19th century. Independent Jewish congregation disbanded in 1925. The Jewish cemetery originated probably in first third of 18th century (allegedly in 1434) with last known Conservative Jewish burial before 1943. Vlasim (until approximately 1890), 8 km away, used this landmarked cemetery.The isolated suburban rural (agricultural) hillside has no sign, but has Star of David on gate or wall. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all via a continuous masonry wall and non-locking gate. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.1741 ha.
100-500 stones date from 1711-20th century. The granite, limestone and sandstone flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration, double tombstones or multi-stone monuments have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. The cemetery contains no known mass graves but has a pre-burial house's roofed gate only. Prague Jewish community owns the Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are agricultural. Occasionally, private visitors and local residents stop. Vandalism occurred during World War II, occasionally 1945-1991. Jewish individuals abroad and Jewish groups abroad did restoration in late 1980s. Global renovation was financed from Austria. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion and vandalism.
Ladislav Mertl, Mgr. of Geography, Kubanske namesti 1322/17, Praha 10-Vrsovice; tel. 02/743213 and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/553340 completed survey on May 23, 1992. Documentation: H. Gold, Die Juden… Boehmens (1934), J. Herman, Jewish Cemeteries in Bohemia & Moravia (1980), Zpravodaj Stepanovska-IX. (1991), Vestnik ZNO-No. 8 (1975), notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha, letters of Jan Svoboda (see 12) 1989, census 1724, 1930, 1991. Other documentation was inaccessible. No site visits or interviews occurred.