RYCZYWOL: Wielkopolskie

Alternate names: Ryczywół [Pol], Ritschenwalde [Ger]. 52°49' N, 16°50' E, 28 miles NNW of Poznań (Posen). Jewish population: 168 (in 1895), 79 (in 1921). Gmina Ryczywół is a rural administrative district in Oborniki powiat, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland witsh it seat in the village of Ryczywół, 19 km (12 mi) N of Oborniki and 47 km (29 mi) N of the regional capital Poznań. The gmina covers an area of 154.54 square kilometres (59.7 sq mi), and as of 2006 its total population is 7,113. Gmina Ryczywół contains the villages and settlements of Boruchowo, Chlebowo, Chmielewo, Dąbrówka Ludomska, Drzonek, Gorzewko, Gorzewo, Gościejewko, Gościejewo Leśne, Igrzyna, Krężoły, Łaszczewiec, Lipa, Lipa Nowa, Lipa-Bagna, Lipa-Wojciechowo, Łopiszewo, Ludomicko, Ludomki, Ludomy, Ninino, Orłowo, Piłka-Młyn, Piotrowo, Połajewice, Radom, Ryczywół, Skrzetusz, Tłukawy, Trzy Góry, Wiardunki and Zawady. No trace remains of the 1 ha 17th century Jewish cemetery located by the road to Wilczkowice. [June 2009]

US Commission No. AS 180
Alternate German name: Lopischewo zu Ritschenwalde. The town is in Pila region at 52º49' N 16º50' E, 35km from Pila. Present population is 1000-5000 with no Jews.

• Town: Urzad Miasto, Gminy.
  
• Local: mgr Ramon Chwaliszewski wojendrlu, Konservator Zabytkow w Pila Tel. 223-88.
  
• Regional: mgr Barbara Luczynski Ponstwowa Sluiba Celmony Zabythow address as above.
  
• Interested: Also Marek Figarkowski, Muzeum Okzegowe w. Pile, tel 271-37 may have information. [museum name illegible]

Earliest known Jewish Community was 1735. The unlandmarked Progressive/Reform Jewish cemetery was established in the 18th century, approximately 1735. 1889 population was 212. The isolated rural (agricultural) crown of a hill has no signs or markers. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all with no walls, fence, or gate. Approximate size of cemetery before WWII was 1.50ha; and the present size is 0.45ha. 1-20 granite, finely smoothed and Hebrew inscribed stones, none in original locations with less than 25% broken or toppled, date from the 19th century. There are no known mass graves. Municipality owns site used for agriculture. Properties adjacent are residential. Compared to 1939, the cemetery boundaries are smaller, reduced by the building of new roads or highways. Rarely, local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized prior to WWII. There is no maintenance or structures. Security, vandalism and incompatible development are slight threats.
Mz. Henryk Grecki, 70-534 Szczecin, w Soltysia 3/13; tel. 377-41 completed survey on October 30, 1991, using the cemetery ___ [sic] 1989v. No other documentation exists. The site was not visited. Marek Fijarkowski was interviewed.