SOSNITSA

SOSNITSA I:     US Commission No. UA24170101
Alternate name: Sosnica (Russian) and Sosnitza (Ukraine.) Sosnitsa is located in Chernigovskaya at 51º32 32º30, 22 km from Mena, 56 km from Konotop and 91 km from Chernigov. Present town population is 5,001-25,000 with 11-100 Jews.
The earliest known Jewish Community was first half 19th century. 1926 Jewish population (census) was 1141. Living here was Rabbi Volfson. The last known b burial was 1994. v. Olshanoe (10 km away) and v. Volynka (10 km away) used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a private 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 has special sections for men, women, children, suicides and other. Stones date from 19th to 20th century. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces, other metallic elements and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns site used for Jewish cemetery and agricultural use (crops or animal grazing.) Properties adjacent are commercial or industrial, agricultural, and residential. The cemetery boundaries are unchanged since 1939. Occasionally, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II and occasionally in the last ten years. b patched broken stones, cleaned stones and cleared vegetation until 1990. Now occasionally, individuals clear or clean. Within the limits of the cemetery are no structures but more than one ohel. Vegetation overgrowth is a constant problem, disturbing both graves and stones. Water drainage at the cemetery is a seasonal problem. Very serious threat: uncontrolled access. Serious threat: vegetation. Moderate threat: weather erosion, pollution, vandalism and existing nearby development. Slight threat: proposed nearby development.
Sokolova Eleonora Evgenievna of 253152 Kiev, Tychini Pr. 5, Apt. 68 [Phone: (044) 5505681] visited site and completed survey on 9/16/94. Interviewed were Volf Musya Yakovlevna, Basya Yakovlevna of Lenina St. 2, Apt. 2 [Phone: (04655) 29349] on 9/16/94 and Babushkin Avraam Naumovich of Respublikanskaya St. 12A [Phone: (04655)21178] on 9/16/94.
SOSNITSA II:     US Commission No. UA24170501
The mass grave is located at "Vyunischye", left from highway to Mena. The earliest known Jewish Community was first quarter of 19th century. 1926 Jewish population (census) was 1141. Effecting Jewish Community were 1905 pogroms, 1919 Petlyura's pogroms and 1941-1942 Holocaust. Living here was Rabbi Wolfson. The Jewish mass grave was dug in 1941 with last known Jewish burial was 1942. No other towns or village's Jews were murdered at this unlandmarked mass grave. The suburban and rural (agricultural), located on a hillside, isolated has no sign or marker. Reached by crossing public collective farm garden, access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surrounds the mass grave. 1 to 20 common tombstones, all in original location with none toppled or broken, date from 1971. No stones were removed. The site contains marked mass graves. Municipality owns site used for mass burial site. Properties adjacent are collective farm garden. Occasionally, organized individual tours, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents visit. This mass grave has not been vandalized. Regional/national authorities did work. Authorities clean or clear occasionally. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Seasonal problems are vegetation overgrowth and water drainage. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, pollution and vegetation.
Sokolova Eleonora Evgeniyevna of 253152, Kiev, Tychiny Pr. 5, Apt. 68 [Phone: (044) 5505681] visited site on 7/12/94. Interviewed on 7/12/94were Slasten Olga Ivanovna [Phone: (04655) 21490] and Babushkin Avraam Naumovich [Phone: (04655) 21178]. Sokolova completed survey on 07/12/1994.