International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

OVRUCH

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Alternate names: Ovruch and Овруч [Rus, Ukr], Owrucz [Pol], Ovrutch [Yid], Owrutsch [Ger], Ovruc. 51°19' N, 28°48' E, 74 miles N of Zhytomyr (Zhitomir). Jewish population: 3,445.

CEMETERIES:

photo [Apr 2014]

  • OVRUCH I:     US Commission No. UA05350102
  • Alternate name: Ovrutch (Yiddish), Owrucz (German), Ovruch (Hungarian), Ovruch (Polish) and Ovrutch (English). Ovruch is located in Zhitomirskaya at 51°19 28°48, 150km from Kiev and 138km from Zhitomir. The cemetery is located at coner Gorkogo & Sholom Aleyhema St. Present town population is 5,001-25,000 with 101-1,000 Jews.
  • Town officials: Town Council of Morynyuk Nikolay Ivanovich (04183) [Phone: (041483)2725].
  • Jewish Community - Ryabicheva Klara Naumovna [Phone: (04813)1874]. Bezman Moisey Menashevich of Nalepki-Repkina St., 215 [Phone: (04813)3923].
  • The earliest known Jewish community was 1629. 1926 Jewish population (census) was 3400. 1919 pogrom killed 80 people. Living here were dynasty of Rabbi Shneerson, writer Aronskiy Meshet Aronovich (1898-1944), and Bogoryaz (Tan) Vladimir Germanovich (1865-1936). The Jewish cemetery was established in the 18th century. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked Hasidic cemetery. The isolated urban hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds the cemetery. No stones are visible. Location of any removed stones is unknown. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns property used for housing. Properties adjacent are residential. The cemetery boundaries are smaller now than 1939 because of housing development. Rarely, local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized prior to World War II. There is no maintenance now. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Very serious threat: vandalism and existing nearby development. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access. Slight threat: weather erosion, pollution and proposed nearby development.
  • Kogan Leonid of Novograd-Volynskiy, Lenina St. 107, Apt.42. [Phone: (04141)54259] visited site on 27/06/1995. Interviewed were Bezman Moisey Menashevich on 27/06/1995. Kogan completed survey on 08/08/1995.
  • OVRUCH II:     US Commission No. UA05350101
  • The cemetery is located at E of town, between Metalistov St. & highway to v. Porud'ye. The last known Jewish burial was 1937. Jewish Community was Hasidic (Habad). No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated suburban flat land has no sign or marker. It is reached by turning directly off a public road and crossing other public property. The access is open with permission. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds the cemetery. No stones are visible. Location of any removed stones is unknown. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns property used for industrial or commercial use and storage. Properties adjacent are residential. The cemetery boundaries are smaller now than 1939 because of housing development and commercial-industrial development. Rarely, local residents visit. The cemetery was not vandalized in the last ten years. There is no maintenance now. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Very serious threat: vandalism. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, pollution, vegetation, and existing nearby and proposed development.
  • Kogan Leonid of Novograd-Volynskiy, Lenina St. 107, Apt.42. [Phone: (04141)54259] visited site on 27/07/1995. Interviewed were Bezman Moisey Menashevich of Nalepky-Repkina St., 15 [Phone: (041483)3923] on 27/07/1995. Kogan completed survey on 03/08/1995.
  • OVRUCH III:     US Commission No. UA05350103
  • The cemetery is located at 8th of March St., SE part of town. The Jewish cemetery was established in 1938 with last known Habad Hasidic burial 1995. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The urban hillside and crown of a hill, part of a municipal cemetery, is reached by turning directly off a public road with access is open to all. A continuous fence with a non-locking gate surrounds. 501 to 5000 stones, all in original location with less than 25% toppled or broken, date from 1938. No stones were removed. 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. Municipality owns property used for Jewish part of municipal cemetery. Properties adjacent are residential. The cemetery boundaries are larger now than 1939. Occasionally, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents stop. This cemetery has not been vandalized. Local/municipal authorities cleared vegetation, fixed wall and fixed gate in 1970-80. The government pays the regular caretaker. Within the limits of the cemetery is a well. Vegetation overgrowth is a seasonal problem, preventing access. Moderate threat: weather erosion. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, pollution, vegetation, vandalism and proposed nearby development.
  • Kogan Leonid of Novograd-Volynskiy, Lenina St. 107, Apt.42. [Phone: (04141)54259] visited site on 27/07/1995. Interviewed was Bezman Moisey Menashevich of Nalepky-Repkina St. 15 on 27/07/1995. Kogan completed survey on 23/09/1995.
  • OVRUCH IV:     US Commission No. UA05350501
  • The mass grave is located at center, in ravine near Cloister. The Hasidic mass grave was dug in 1941. No other towns or villages' Jews were murdered in this unlandmarked mass grave. The isolated site has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds the mass grave. 1 to 20 stones, all in original location with none toppled or broken, date from 1947. Some tombstones have iron decorations or lettering. No stones were removed. The site contains marked mass graves. Municipality owns site used for mass burial site. Properties adjacent are residential and Cloister. The mass grave boundaries are larger now than 1939. Occasionally, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. This mass grave was not vandalized. Local/municipal authorities did re-erection of stones 1947-1995. Now, occasionally authorities clean or clear. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion and vandalism. Slight threat: pollution, vegetation and proposed nearby development.
  • Kogan Leonid of Novograd-Volynskiy, Lenina St. 107, Apt. 42. [Phone: (04141)54259] visited site on 27/08/1995. Interviewed were Bezman Moisey Menashevich on 27/07/1995. Kogan completed survey on 03/08/1995.
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Parent Category: EASTERN EUROPE