International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

Print

 

International Jewish Cemetery Project - Romania D-F Cemetery is located on Stefan cel Mare Str., 1927, judet Timis. Alternate Hungarian name is Detta. 4523 2113, 247.6 miles WNW of Bucharest and 40 km from Timisoara. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.

  • Mayor Buhas Craciun, Town Hall of Deta, 1927, judet Timis
  • The Jewish Community of Timisoara, Gheorghe Lazar Str. no. 5, Romania, tel., Timisoara, 1900, Romania
  • The Federation of The Jewish Communities of Romania, Sf. Vineri Str. no. 9-11, sect. 3, Bucharest, Romania
  • "Dr. Moshe Carmilly" Institute for Hebrew and Jewish History, Universitatii Str. no. 7-9, room 61, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Director: Ladislau Gyemant, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Key holder and caretaker: Nichifor Gheorghe, Fabricii Str. no. 6, Deta

The Jewish population by census was 117 in 1880, 191 in 1900 and 25 in 1930. The cemetery dates from second half of the 19th century. Buried in the unlandmarked Orthodox and Neolog cemetery are Cohanim: Simon Kohn (d. 1868) and Ignatz Kohn (1886-1959.) Last known burial was 1984.

The urban flat land, separate but near other cemeteries, has no sign or marker. Reached by a public road, access is open with permission. A masonry wall and fence with a locking gate surround the site. Approximate pre-WWII size is unknown. Approximate post-WWII size is approximately 600 square m. 20-100 stones are visible with 20-100 in original location and 1-20 stones not in original location. Less than 25% of the stones are toppled or broken. Location of stones removed from the cemetery is unknown. Vegetation overgrowth and water drainage are not problems.

No special sections. The oldest known gravestone dates from 1862. The 19th and 20th centuries marble, granite, sandstone, and concrete memorial markers are flat shaped, smoothed and inscribed, and carved relief-decorated, double tombstones, and sculpted monuments. Some have metal fences around graves. Inscriptions are in Hebrew, German, and Hungarian. No known mass graves. The local Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery and orchard. Adjacent properties are residential. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop at the never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been re-erection of stones, patching broken stones, cleaning stones, and clearing vegetation by local non-Jewish residents in 1990. Current care is regular caretaker paid by the Jewish community of Timisoara. No structures. No threats.

Claudia Ursutiu, Pietroasa Str. no. 21, 3400 Cluj Napoca, Romania, tel. 0040-64-151073 visited and completed survey in September 2000 using the following documentation:

  • Recensamantul din 1880. Transilvania coord.: Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1997.
  • Recensamantul din 1900. Transilvania Traian Rotariu, Cluj, 1999
  • Recensamantul general al populatiei din 29 decembrie 1930 (The General Census of the Population from December 29, 1930), vol. II, Bucuresti 1938
  • Recensamintul general al populatiei din Romania din 7 ianuarie 1992 (The General Census of the Population of Romania from January 7, 1992), vol. I, Bucuresti, 1994
  • Zsido Lexicon, ed. by Ujvari Peter, Budapest, 1929
  • Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucuresti, 1994, in Romanian
  • Izvoare si marturii referitoare la evreii din Romania (Sources and Testimonies on the Jews in Romania), vol. III/1-2, coord. L. Gyemant, L. Benjamin, Bucuresti, Ed. Hasefer, 1999
  • Victor Neumann, Istoria evreilor din Banat (A history of the Jews from Banat), Bucuresti, Atlas, 1999
  • Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967
  • Microsoft Auto Route Express 1999

Claudia and Adrian Ursutiu interviewed Nichifor Gheorghe in Deta. [January 2003]