Alternate names: Tomaszów Lubelski [Pol], Томашув-Любельский. [Rus], טאמאשאוו לובעלסק [Yid], Tomashov Lublinski, Tomashuv Lubelski, Tomaszów. 50°27' N, 23°25' E, 66 miles SE of Lublin, 20 miles SSE of Zamość. 1900 Jewish population: 3,646.
Yizkors: Pinkas ha-kehilot; entsiklopediya shel ha-yishuvim le-min hivasdam ve-ad le-aher shoat milhemet ha-olam ha-sheniya: Poland vol. 7: Kielce and Lublin (Jerusalem, 1999); Sefer zikaron shel Tomaszow-Lub. (Jerusalem, 1972); Tomashover Lub. yisker-bukh: poh nikhtav toldot yishuv Yehudi ... k.k. Tomashov de-Lublin mi-yom hivasdah ve-'ad ḥurbanah ... bi-shenot 699-705 (Brooklyn, NY, 1965); and Pinat yikrat: ve-hu sefer-zikhronot divre ha-yamim shel kehilah kedoshah be-ir Tamashov Lubelski (Brooklyn, NY, 1968.
Poland Memorial book of Tomaszow Lubelski [October 2012]
Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), XII, pp. 374-377: "Tomaszów". This town in SE Poland with 20,261 inhabitants in 2004 in the Lublin Voivodeship since 1999 and previously in Zamość Voivodeship (1975-1998)is the capital of Tomaszów Lubelski powiat. Since 1590 there was a settlement in the village Rogoźno, but by 1621 the city called Tomaszów and belonged to John Zamoyski. Jews received permission for a synagogue, a cemetery, and houses in the city center, but first came a synagogue in 1594, that is, before the location of the city. In the 19th century, Jews accounted for about half the population. By the 1921, the 4,643 (65%) Jews were Chassidim.and over 5,000 in 1939 (50%) at the outbreak of World War II. Occupied by the Germans in 1939,, the Nazi first placed the Jews in a ghetto in the town, then exterminated them in 1942 at Belzec a few km south of the town. Jewish history. [July 2009]
CEMETERY: During WWII, the Nazis vandalized the 2.0-hectare cemetery established in 1621 or 1623. in 1942 the Nazis held a mass execution of Jewish population and used wooden matzevot to pave sidewalks by the Gestapo headquarters and by the house of the German prefect of Tomaszow. After the war the neglected cemetery progressively deteriorated. Today, about thirty graves are visible, all reconstructed concrete matzevot, built of the original fragments nagrobkowych. The last known burial was held in 1943. In 1992-1993, Tomaszów Jews who had survived the war tidied the cemetery. A new ohel designed by Eleonora Bergman was erected as well as a monument commemorating Holocaust victims. The ohels cover the graves of Joseph Grin Jarczów, a student of the famous seer of Lublin (died 1839); Joshua ben Joseph Fiszerman (d. 1906); and Joseph Arie Lejbusz Fiszerman ben Joshua, (d. 30 March 1916). A metal fence and gate surround the site. A Holocaust monument exists. Reconstructed ohels and graves for rabbis Isaac Szapira and Judah ben Meir Nisan exist. Directions to the ul Starozamojska site that is 250 m NE of the market square on the Sołokija River: Enter the city from Zamość. Turn left at the first street. The gate keys are keep by Irena P. Malec, who lives at ul. Starozamojskiej 22. photos. photos. [July 2009]
This cemetery is the second oldest in Poland. During my first visit in 1987, there were about six visible illegible stones among the vegetation. I was shocked when I arrived in 1996 to find the three-acre site completely enclosed by a beautiful black fence with decorations and Jewish Stars. The entrance had been turned into a type of cement plaza with two lovely gates. It is very attractive. Outside of the entrance is a small cement building, an ohel, which houses the stones of four Tzadiks (This was a Hasidic town). Inside was evidence that people had recently prayed here (no Jewish residents remain). There were candle stubs and notes upon the graves. Dome illegible stones had been excavated and were standing. Many plain cement monuments were standing with tombstone shards implanted in them. I was told that there are thousands of graves under the ground. A New York group restored the cemetery. I phoned them upon my return to offer a contribution; however, no one ever returned call. A woman who is paid by the New York people cares for the cemetery. She lives next door. Her late father-in-law had cared for the cemetery and voluntarily protected it since the war. He was a fine old man whom I met in 1987. Upon his death, his son took over the responsibility. Now he has died, his wife cares for it and has a key. Source: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [Feb. 1998]
- BOOK: Gruber, Ruth Ellen. Jewish Heritage Travel A Guide to East-Central Europe . New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1992. p. 7
Located in Zamosc province at 50º27' N 23º25 E, 40-km SE from Zamosc. Cemetery location: Starozamojska St. in the suburb Jelitowo. Present population is 5,000-25,000 with no Jews.
- Local: Urzad Gminy (City Council). The responsible local authorities are (1) Urzad Wojewodzki (Voivodship Office), Zamosc, ul. Partyzantow 3; and (2) Sejmik Samorzadowy Wojewodztwa Zamojskiego (Local Governments' Committee of Voivodship Zamosc), Zamosc, ul. Partyzantow 3, tel. 31-34.
- Regional: Panstwowa Sluzba Ochrony Zabytkow, Wojewodzki Konserwator Zabytkow (State Preservation Authority, Conservation Officer for Voivodship), Zamosc, ul. Staszica 29, tel. 59-71. Regionalny Osrodek Studiow I Ochrony Krajobrazu Kulturowego (Regional Center for the Study and Preservation of Cultural Landscape), Lublin, ul. Archidiakonska 4. tel.73-62-24.
- Interested: (1) Urzad Wojewodzki-Wydial Geodezji, Kartografii i Gospodarki Gruntami (VoivodshipOffice-Dept. of Land Survey, Cartography and Land Use), Zamosc, ul. Przemyslowa 4, tel.26-57; and (2) Wojewodzkie Archiwum Panstwowe (State Archive for Voivodship), Lublin, 4 Przemyslowa St.
- Caretaker with key: Ms Malek, 22 Starozamojks, next to the cemetery.
The earliest Jewish community dates prior to 1595. 1921 Jewish population was 4,643. The first wood synagogue existed before creation of a town in 1595. The unlandmarked Jewish cemetery was established in 1623 with last known Orthodox Jewish burial in 1943. Jews from Mircze also used this cemetery about 15 km away. The isolated rural agricultural crown of a hill has no signs or markers. Reached by crossing private property, access is open to all with no walls, fences or gates. The size of the cemetery before WWII and now is approximately 0.5 ha. 1-20 gravestones, none in original positions with less than 25% toppled or broken, date from the 19th and 20th centuries. Removed stones were incorporated into the foundation of a new structure of a local grammar school. The sandstone finely smoothed and inscribed stones or flat stones with carved relief decorations have Hebrew inscriptions. The cemetery contains no known mass graves or structures. The municipality owns the cemetery property used only as a Jewish cemetery. Adjacent property is agricultural and residential. Rarely, private visitors stop. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II. The volunteer caretaker re-erected two found stones in 1994. Slight threats are security, vegetation, vandalism, and existing nearby incompatible development. Weather erosion is a moderate to serious threat. Vegetation overgrowth is a seasonal problem, preventing access.
Malgorzata Radolowicz-Buzikiewicz, Florianska 37/3; 31-019 Krakow, tel. (0-12) 215748 visited site and completed survey on September 28, 1995. She interviewed: (1) the officers at the Preservation Authorities, (2) residents of housing nearby to the cemetery, and (3) another man. Documentation: PSOZ, Wojewodzki Konserwator Zabytkow (State Preservation Authority, Conservation Officer for Voivodship), Zamosc --"Karta cmentarza" (cemetery record chart) #2114, filled out by D. Fus, 1984, with additions by D.Kawalko, 1993, 1990.
[UPDATE] Photos by Charles Burns [April 2016]