International Jewish Cemetery Project
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Coat of arms of Borek Wielkopolski Alternate names: Borek Wielkopolski [Pol], Borken [Ger], Börke, Borek. 51°55' N, 17°15' E, 36 miles SSE of Poznań (Posen), 11 miles SE of Koźmin (Koschmin). 1871 Jewish population: 379. Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), I, pp. 309-310: "Borek" #1. Gmina Borek Wielkopolski is an urban-rural gmina (administrative district) in Gostyń County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland. Its seat is the town of Borek Wielkopolski, which lies approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi) east of Gostyń and 59 km (37 mi) south-east of the regional capital Poznań. The gmina 2006 total population is 7,724 (Borek Wielkopolski at 2,486). Apart from the town of Borek Wielkopolski, Gmina Borek Wielkopolski contains the villages and settlements of Bolesławów, Bruczków, Celestynów, Cielmice, Dąbrówka, Domanice, Dorotów, Frasunek, Głoginin, Grodnica, Jawory, Jawory PGR, Karolew, Koszkowo, Leonów, Liż, Maksymilianów, Osówiec, Siedmiorogów Drugi, Siedmiorogów Pierwszy, Skoków, Skokówko, Stawiszyn, Strumiany, Studzianna, Trzecianów, Trzecianów Osiedle, Ustronie, Wycisłowo, Wygoda, Zacisze, Zalesie and Zimnowoda. [April 2009]

Jews from here were subordinate to the Leszno kahal and also used the cemetery in Leszno. [May 2009]

CEMETERY: Area is 0.25 hectares. Burial list: Dariusz Czwojdrak, Muzeum Okregowe, Dzial Judaistyczny, ulica Estkowskiego 2, 64-100 Leszno, Poland, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and sent by Scott Clark, Cincinnati, Ohio, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

US Commission No. POCE000306

Alternate German name: Grossburg. Borek Wielkopolski is in Leszczynskie region at 51°55 17°15, 52 km from Leszno, 56 km from Kalisz, and 72 km from Poznan. Cemetery: ulica Lisla. Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.

  • Town: Burmistrz Eugeniusz Bindrowski, 63-810 Borek Wlkp., ulica Powstancow Wlkp. 26/2, tel. 52. Town: Urzad Miejski w Borku Wlkp., ulica Rynek 1, tel. 60, 88, 20.
  • Local: Marian Bajzelt, Urzad Miejski w Borku Wlkp.
  • Regional: Ewa Piesiewicz, Panstwowa Sluzba Ochrony Zabytkow, ulica Mickiewicza 5, 64-100 Leszno, tel. 20-63-83, 20-22-83.

The earliest known Jewish community dates from September 1464 (?).1921 Jewish population was 34 (1.6%). The cemetery was used by the community of Pogorzela (12 km away) as well as by the Conservative community of Borek Wielkopolski, but is not landmarked. The isolated suburban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all with no wall, fence, or gate. The pre- and post-WWII size is 0.25 hectares. Less than 20 gravestones survive with only a few toppled or broken and none in the original locations. About 30 gravestones were incorporated into the little house adjacent to the cemetery. The oldest known gravestone belongs to Henriette Worman, 28 Tishri 5640 (1880). The flat-shaped marble and sandstone tombstones with Hebrew and German inscriptions date from the 19th-20th centuries. The municipality owns the cemetery property used for agriculture, storage, and waste dump. Within the limits of the cemetery are some farm buildings and a pre-burial house. Properties adjacent are residential and agricultural. Private individuals and local residents visit rarely. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II. Almost all of the gravestones were stolen after the war. No maintenance. Security and vandalism are very serious threats. Weather erosion is a moderate threat; vegetation overgrowth and nearby development are slight threats.

Dariusz Czwojdrak, 67-400 Wschowa, ul Lipowa 22a/4 completed survey on 27 August 1991 after a visit on 11 August 1991. Eugeniusz Bindrowski was interviewed on 25 August 1991 in Borek Wielkopolski.