v. PESCHANNAYA: US Commission No. UA15120101
v. Peschannaya is located in Odesskaya. The town is location at 49°_ 29°_, 25 km from Balta and 175 km from Odessa. The cemetery is located at 250m from center. Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.
- Town: Balta Rayispolkom, Chernolutskiy Vasiliy Petrovich (04866) 21036.
- Local: Balta Regional Department of Culture, Duvidzon Yakov Aleksandrovich (04866) 22236. Odessa Oblast Fond of Culture Masherova Dina Mikhaylovna (0482) 283523. Odessa Oblast Department of Culture, Borodavko Roman Isaakovuch (0482) 251351. Odessa Oblast Department of Culture, Podderskaya Tatyana Anatolievna (0482) 225345.
- Others: Jewish Community, Chechelnitskiy Shimon (0482) 247291 and Milshteyn Feliks Lilich (0482) 226510.
The earliest known Jewish community was begining 19th century. 1940 Jewish population (census) was 500. The last known Hasidic Jewish burial was 1992. No other towns or villages' used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated suburban hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all with no wall, gate, or fence. 101-500 stones, all in original location with less than 25% toppled or broken, date from 1865 to 20th century. Location of removed stones is unknown. The cemetery has no special sections. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces, other metallic elements, portraits on stones or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. The municipality owns site used for Jewish cemetery and other. Properties adjacent are agricultural and residential. The cemetery boundaries are unchanged since 1939. Occasionally, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors and local residents stop. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II and occasionally in the last ten years. Jewish individuals within country re-erected stones, patched broken stones, cleaned stones and cleared vegetation in 1945-1948 with no maintenance since. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures. Vegetation overgrowth is a constant problem, disturbing both graves and stones. Water drainage is a seasonal problem. Very serious threat: vegetation. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, pollution and vandalism. Slight threat: weather erosion and existing nearby development.
Oks Vladimir Moiseevich of 270065, Odessa, Varnenskaya St., 17D, apt. 52 [tel: (0482) 665950] visited site on 10/9/94 and completed survey on 10/09/1994. Interviewed was Vaysman A.Y of Balta on 10/9/94. Other documentation exists but was inaccessible.
