DEREBCHIN: US Commission No. UA01300101
Alternate name: Derebcin (Yiddish). Derebchin is located in Vinnitskaya at 48º46 28º21, 56 km from Vunnitsa. The cemetery is located at v. Derebchin, Shargorodskiy region. Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.
- Town officials: Town Executive Council - Chairman Andriyets Josef Petrivich [Phone: 21369].
- Jewish Community-Chairman-Schmulevich Arkadin Semenovich [Phone: 22430 22205].
- Regional: Oblast Jewish Society of Chairman-Desner I. [Phone: (0432)443650].
The earliest known Jewish community was 17th century. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 2500. Events effecting the Jewish community were 1648-51 Khmelnitski pogrom, mass killings by Haydamakas, 1918-19 Petlurovski pogrom and 1941 Ghetto and shooting of town Jewish population, Ilchyk Nikola Nik. The Jewish cemetery was established in 16th century with last known Hasidic Jewish burial 1990. 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 broken fence with no gate surrounds the site. 501 to 5000 stones, most in original location with than 25% toppled or broken, date from 16th to 17th century. Location of removed stones is unknown. The cemetery has special sections for men and women. Some have portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. The cemetery property is now used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are agricultural. The cemetery boundaries are unchanged since 1939. The cemetery is visited rarely by private visitors (Jewish or non-Jewish). The cemetery was vandalized during World War II. A local Jewish resident's relatives patched broken stones, cleaned stones and cleared vegetation. There is no maintenance now. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Vegetation overgrowth is a constant problem, disturbing graves both graves and stones. Water drainage at the cemetery is a seasonal problem. Serious threat: vegetation. Moderate threat: pollution. Slight threat: uncontrolled access and weather erosion.
Fuks M.L. of Vinnitsa [Phone: 358296] visited site on 10/17/94. Interviewed was Local residents and Finkenshtein I.Y. on 10/17/94. Fuks completed survey on 10/17/1994. Documentation: Town Populations in the Podol Region. Kaments-Podol. A. Krylov 1905;
History of Towns and Villages in Ukraine . Vinnitski Oblast Kiev 1969;
Jewish Encyclopaedia . in 16 Vols. Brokgayz-Efron.
