CHERCASS

CHERCASS I:     US Commission No. UA23010101
Alternate name: Cercassy (Russian). Chercass is located in Chercasskaya at 49�26 32�4, 250 km from Kiev. The cemetery is located at Shevchenko-Proletarskaya St. Present town population is over 100,000 with 1,001-10,000 Jews.
-- Caretaker with key: Proletarskaya St. Prolrtarskaya St.
The earliest known Jewish community was 1640. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 10886. The Jewish cemetery dates from 1837. Buried in the cemetery is Zaritskiy. The last known Orthodox burial was 1964. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban flat land has signs or plaques in local language and no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open with permission. A broken fence with locking gate surrounds the cemetery. 21 to 100 stones, all in original location with 50%-75% toppled or broken, date from 1905. Locations of any removed stones are unknown. The cemetery has no special sections. Some tombstones have portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains unmarked mass graves. The municipality owns property closed in 1964. Properties adjacent are residential. The cemetery boundaries are smaller now than 1939 because of housing development. Occasionally, organized individual tours and local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized prior to World War II, during World War II, and occasionally in the last ten years. City Jewish Community did re-erection of stones, cleaned stones, cleared vegetation and fixed gate continually. Occasionally, now, individuals clear or clean. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Very serious threat: existing and proposed nearby development. Serious threat: uncontrolled access and vandalism.
Turman Bella of Chercass, Khomenko St. 16, apt. 66 [Phone: (0472) 631272] visited site and completed survey in 1994 with members of Jewish community. Interviewed was Krivenko S.I. in 06/1994.
CHERCASS II:     US Commission No. UA23010102
The cemetery is located at Vatutina St. Living here were Zaritskiy, Binusov, Povolotskiy and Leticevskiy. The Jewish cemetery dates from 1947 with last known Hasidic burial 1971. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A continuous fence with no gate surrounds the cemetery. More than 5000 stones, all in original location with 25%-50% toppled or broken, date from 1947. Locations of any removed stones are unknown. The cemetery has no special sections. Some tombstones have portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains marked mass graves. The municipality owns property now used for "other." Properties adjacent are residential. The cemetery boundaries are unchanged since 1939. Frequently, local residents visit. This cemetery was not vandalized. There has been cleared vegetation. Now, occasionally, authorities clear or clean. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures.
Turman Bella of Chercass, Khomenko St. 16, apt. 66 [Phone: (0472) 631272] visited site and completed survey on 10/28/94. No interviews.
CHERCASS III:     US Commission No. UA23010103
The cemetery is located at Odesskaya St.
-- Caretaker: Mariya.
The Jewish cemetery dates from 1962. Buried in the cemetery are Rabbi Manusov and Rabbi Latsman. The last known Hasidic burial was 1986. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The urban flat land, part of a municipal cemetery, has no sign, but has Jewish symbols on gate or wall. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A continuous fence with non-locking gate surrounds the cemetery. More than 5000 stones, all in original location with less than 25% toppled or broken, date from 1962. The cemetery has no special sections. Some tombstones have portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. The municipality owns property now used for "other." Properties adjacent are "other." The cemetery boundaries are larger now than 1939. Frequently, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents visit. The cemetery was not vandalized in the last ten years. Jewish individuals and groups within country patched broken stones and cleared vegetation continually. The government pays the regular caretaker. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures.
Turman Bella of Chercass, Khomenko St. 16, apt. 66 [Phone: (0472) 631272] visited site and completed survey on 11/1/94 and members of Jewish community. No interviews.