Alternate names: Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski [Pol], Ostrovtse, אסטראווצע [Yid], Ostrovetz, Островец-Свентокшиски. [Rus], Ostrovitz, Ostrovitze, Ostrovitza, Ostrowiec. 50°56' N, 21°24' E, 35 miles SSE of Radom, 33 miles ENE of Kielce. 1900 Jewish cemetery: 6,146. Yizkors: Ostrovtse; geheylikt dem ondenk...fun Ostrovtse, Apt... (Buenos Aires, 1949) and Sefer Ostrovtsah: le-zikaron le-'edut (Tel Aviv, [1971]). This town with 74,211 inhabitants in 2006 in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship (1975-1998).and the capital of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski powiat.The main industry is manufacture of iron.
Ostrowiec; a monument on the ruins of an annihilated Jewish community Nov 2013.
BOOK: Gruber, Ruth Ellen. Jewish Heritage Travel A Guide to East-Central Europe. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1992. p.77
CEMETERY:
US Commission No. POCE0000277
Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski is located in Kielce region at 50º58N, 21º23E, about 169 km from Warszawa. The cemetery is located between Sienkiewicza, Mickiewicza, and Hiecka streets. Present town population is over 100,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Prezydent Miasta ul. Glogowshiego 3/5, 27-400, Ostrowiec Lwistokvzyski, tel. 572-80.
- Regional: Wojevodzki Konserwator Zabythow, IX Wiekow Kielc 3, Kielce, tel. 45634.
The earliest known Jewish community was between 1637-1662. 1921 Jewish population was 10,095, 51.2%. The Orthodox Jewish cemetery was established about 1657. Meir Halewi Halsztok was buried here about 1928. The last known Jewish burial was 1943. Landmarked: Wojewodzki Konserwator Zabythow Kielach (Letters following are illegible.) The isolated urban crown of a hill has a plaque in Polish mentioning the Jews in the Jewish cemetery. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is entirely closed. The size of the cemetery before W.W.II and now is about 1.0 hectares. 100 to 500 gravestones visible, none in their original location with 50%-75% toppled or broken, date from 1850-20th century. Removed stones were incorporated into the municipal streets. The sandstone finely smoothed and inscribed or flat stones with carved relief decorations have Hebrew, Yiddish and Polish inscriptions. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces. The cemetery contains an unmarked mass grave. The municipality owns site used solely as a Jewish cemetery. Properties adjacent are residential. Compared to 1939, the cemetery boundaries enclose the same area. Private Jewish visitors occasionally visit. The cemetery was vandalized during W.W.II. In 1960, local/municipal authorities (lapidarium) did some restoration of the tombstones. Occasionally, authorities clean or clear. There is an unpaid caretaker. Threats: moderate security, weather erosion, pollution, vandalism and incompatible development (planned or proposed) as well as slight threats from vegetation and an existing incompatible nearby development.
Dr. Adam Penkalla, deceased, completed survey and visited the site. Documentation: in his possession. He may have information.
I came across a picture of what is supposed to be the Jewish Cemetery at Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski. I copied it from a book (I have the name of the reference). I also have two pictures of my relatives standing near tombstones in the same cemetery. The pictures must be 50 years old. I plan to visit in May 1999 and take pictures of all tombstones. Source: Col. Harry E. Stein; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Source: They Lived Among Us: Polish Judaica, a travel brochure: Arline Sachs, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. extracted names of townstaht supposedly having Jewish cemeteries. These generally have names only; sometimes a description of famous people who lived there, but no page number.)