MEDZHIBOZH

MEDZHIBOZH: (old and new cemeteries and mass killing). also see Podolia Guberniya.
MEDZHIBOZH I:     US Commission No. UA22360501
Alternate name: Medzhibezh (Yiddish), Medzhibozh (German), Smiedzyborz (Hungarian), Miedzyboz (Russian) and Mezhdu Buzh'ye (Ukraine). Medzhibozh is located in Khmelnitskaya at 49º26 27º25, 82 km from Vinnitsa and 40 km from Khmelnitskiy. The mass grave is located N of Medzhibozh. Present town population is 1,000 - 5,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.
-- Town officials: Village Soviet, Polivanets Luibov Viktorovna.
-- Regional: Oblispolkom, Guseynikov Evgeniy Yakovlevich of (03822) 65025. Khmelnitskiy Archive, Grushevskogo St. 2.
-- Khmelnitskiy Jewish Community, Zeleniy Mikhail, Kamenetskaya st. 47, apt. 8 of (03822) 63047.
The earliest known Jewish community was 1540. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 4614. In 1648-49, the town was destroyed. Living in Jewish community were Rav Visroel Baal Shem Tov, founder of chassidus (1698-1760), Rav Baruch of Medzh, son of Adel and grandson of the Bal Shem Tov (1753-1812 and Rav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Apta, student of Rav Elimelech of Bira. The Jewish mass grave was dug in 09.22.1942. No Jews from other towns or villages were murdered at this unlandmarked mass grave. The isolated suburban hillside by water has signs or plaques in local language mentioning the Holocaust. Reached by crossing other public property (fields). access is open to all. A continuous fence with a locking gate surrounds. 1 to 20 stones, all in original location with none toppled or broken, date from 1957. No stones were removed. Some tombstones have iron decorations or lettering and/or metal fences around graves. The site contains marked mass graves. Municipality owns mass burial site. Properties adjacent are agricultural. Occasionally, organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups, organized individual tours and private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors visit. This mass grave was not vandalized. by Jewish individuals within country and abroad did re-erection of stones, fixed wall and fixed gate in 1957. Occasionally, authorities clean or clear. Within the limits of site are no structures. Water drainage is a seasonal problem. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, pollution, vandalism, existing and proposed nearby development.
Shwartz Yuliya Nikolaevna of Kiev, Buchmy St. 5/1, Apt. 8 [Phone: (044) 5503228] visited site on 7/20/95. Interviewed was David A. Chapin of 3312 Gary Prospect P Lano, TX 75023-1120 [Phone: (214) 6183050] on 7/21/95 and Director of Chmelnitskiy archive on 7/21/95. Shwartz completed survey on 07/21/1995. Documentation: Central & Eastern Europe . The Road from Letichev , David A. Chapin, Ben Weinstock.
MEDZHIBOZH II:     US Commission No. UA22360101
The cemetery is located at NE, Kolkhoznaya St. Caretaker: Stepanova Mariya Kupriyanovna of Kolhoznaya St. 19. The last known Hasidic burial was 1995. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by crossing other public property, access is open to all. A continuous masonry wall with non-locking gate surrounds. 501 to 5000 stones, most in original location with 25% - 50% stones toppled or broken, date from 1845 to 20th century. The cemetery has special sections for men and women. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces, iron decorations or lettering, other metallic elements, portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns site used for Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are agricultural and residential. The cemetery boundaries are unchanged since 1939. Occasionally, organized individual tours, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors and local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized occasionally in the last ten years. Jewish individuals within country and abroad cleared vegetation and fixed wall in 1960 and1990. Now, occasionally individuals clean or clear. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Vegetation overgrowth is a constant problem, disturbing graves and damaging stones. Water drainage is a seasonal problem. Serious threat: uncontrolled access. Moderate threat: vegetation. Slight threat: weather erosion, pollution and vandalism.
Shwartz Yuliya Nikolaevna of Kiev, Buchmy St. 5/1, Apt. 8 [Phone: (044) 5503228] visited site on 7/19/95 on 7/20/95. Shwartz completed survey on 07/20/1995. Documentation: Central & Eastern Europe ; The Road from Letichev , David A. Chapin, Ben Weinstock. Interviewed were David A. Chapin of 3312 Gary Pr, Plano, TX, 75023-1120, USA [Phone: (214) 6183050] on 7/19/95. Interviewed was Stepanova Mariya Kupriyanovna of Kolhoznaya St. 19 on 7/19/95.
MEDZHIBOZH III:     US Commission No. UA22360102
The cemetery is located N of town. The Jewish cemetery was established in the 16th centuryBuried here are Rav Yisroel Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chassidim (1698-1760) and Rav Baruch of Medzh, son of Adel, grandson of the BST (1753-1812). The last known Hasidic burial was 1896. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban hillside by water has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A continuous fence with non-locking gate surrounds. 501 to 5000 stones, most in original location with 25% - 50% stones toppled or broken, date from 1555 to 19th century. The cemetery has special sections for men and women. Some tombstones have portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns site used for Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are agricultural and residential. The cemetery boundaries are unchanged since 1939. Frequently, organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups, organized individual tours, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors and local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized occasionally in the last ten years. Jewish individuals within country cleaned stones in 1980-90. The government pays the regular caretaker. Within the limits of the cemetery is an ohel. Vegetation overgrowth is a constant problem, disturbing graves. Water drainage is a seasonal problem. Moderate threat: vegetation. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, pollution and vandalism.
Shwartz Yuliya Nikolaevna of Kiev, Buchmy St. 5/1, Apt. 8 [Phone: (044) 5503228] visited site on 7/19/95. Interviewed were David A. Chapin of 3312 Gary Dr, Plano, TX 75023-1120, USA [Phone: (214) 6183050] on 7/19/95 and Batsevich Leonid Petrovich of Kolhoznaya St. 36 on 7/19/95. Documentation: Central & Eastern Europe ; The Road from Letichev David A. Chapin, Ben Weinstock.
I have a burial list in Hebrew with many details (Names, dates, places). If interested, please, send me your fax number. Source: Irene Kudish; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.