http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/Suchostav/Tolstoye4850/Tolstoye4850.html
Alternate names: Tlusta (Yiddish), Tluste (German), Tluste Miasto (Hungarian), Tovste (Czech), Tluste Wies (Slov), Touste (Polish) and Toyst (English.) Tolstoye is located in Ternopolskaya at 48º50 25º44, 24 km from Zaleschiky and 62 km from Chernovtsy. The cemetery is located E, near entry from Borschev. Present town population is 5,001-25,000 with no Jews.
- Town officials: Village Executive Council - Dyachuk Vyacheslav Romanovich [Phone: (03554)35147]. Local History Museum - Oleynik Vasiliy Ivanovich [Phone: (03554)23123].
- Regional:: Regional Executive Council of 283540, Zaleschiki, Ukrainskaya St. 15B [Phone: (03554)21131]. Oblast State Administration - Skibnyavskiy Mikhail Vasilyevich [Phone: (03522)25225]. Main Architect of Zaleschiki Region of Sorochuk Anatoliy Yaroslavovich
- Jewish Community 'Alef' of Paren Nuta Elyevich [Phone: (03522)69323]. (03554)21760]
The earliest known Jewish community was 17th century. 1939 Jewish population (census) was 1196. Baal-Shem Tov lived here 1820-1830. The Jewish cemetery was established in 17th century century with last known kovskaya Hasidic burial 1940. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The suburban hillside and crown of a hill, separate but near other cemeteries, 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. 101 to 500 stones, most in original location with 50%-75% toppled or broken, date from 18th to 20th century. Location of any removed stones is unknown. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces. The cemetery contains marked mass graves. Municipality owns site. Adjacent properties are agricultural. The cemetery boundaries have not changed since 1939. Occasionally, organized individual tours and Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors stop. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II but not in the last ten years. Local/municipal authorities cleared vegetation in 1980-1990. Now, authorities clear or clean occasionally. Serious threat: vandalism (Part of tombstones were destroyed during World War II.) Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, existing and proposed nearby development. Slight threat: pollution and vegetation. Documentation: See Section 14 [sic].
Hodorkovskiy Yuriy Isaakovich of Kiev, Vozduhoflotskiy Prospect 37A, Apt. 23 [Phone: (044) 2769505] visited site on 21/04/1996. No interviews were conducted for this survey. He completed survey on /04/1996.
UPDATE: Douglas Hykle's website devote to Tluste www.tovste.info. For the Jewish cemetery of Tluste, including recent photographs taken by Doug and an old photo of the Besht's mother's gravestone, see www.tovste.info/Cemeteries/JewishCemetery.php. [October 2006]
Also see TOVSTE, which is actually the same place.