MEZHGORYE

MEZHGORYE:     US Commission No. UA06090101
Alternate name: Meschigorie (Yiddish), Mezgorje (German), Okormero (Hungarian), Volove (Czech), Volovo (Polish), Wolowe (Russian), Mezhgir'ye (Ukraine) and Wolowa (Hebrew). Mezhgorye is located in Zakarpatskaya at 49º _ 24º30, 150 km from Mukachevo and 150 km from Lvov. The cemetery is located at NE, 350m from highway to north, right side r. Volovets. Present town population is 5,001 - 25,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.
-- Town officials: Town Council of Bundzyak Vasiliy Mikhaylovich [Phone: (03146) 91381].
-- Regional: Mezhgorye Regional Dept. of Culture - Golodnyak Vladimir Petrovich [Phone: (03146)91475].
Zakarpatskiy Oblast Executive Council - Ustich Sergey Ivanovich [Phone: (03122) 33051]. Zakarpatsky Oblast Dept. of Culture - Gavorets Vasiliy Stepanovich [Phone: (03122) 35373]. Mezhgorye Regional Executive Council - Fedurtsya Anton Yuryevich [Phone: (03146) 91330].
The earliest known Jewish community was middle 19 [sic]. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 4966. Effecting the Jewish Community were 1918 [sic]. The last known Hasidic burial was 1954. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban crown of a hill by water 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. 21 to 100 common tombstones date from 19th century. More than 75% stones toppled or broken, Location of any removed stones is unknown. 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. Cccasionally, organized individual tours and local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II. Jewish individuals abroad did re-erection of stones, patched broken stones, cleaned stones, cleared vegetation and fixed wall in 1993. Now, occasionally individuals clean or clear. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Very serious threat: uncontrolled access and vandalism. Moderate threat: pollution. Slight threat: weather erosion and vegetation.
Oks Vladimir Moiseevich of 270065, Odessa, Varnenskaya St 17d, Apt. 52 visited site [Phone: (0482) 665950] on /07/1995. Interviewed was Stets I.Y. of Mezhgorye on /07/1995. Oks completed survey on 15/08/1995. Documentation: Short Jewish Encyclopedia , v.2, Jerusalem, 1982. Other documentation exists but was inaccessible.