Alternate names: Blaj [Rom], Blasendorf [Ger], Balázsfalva [Hun]. 46°11' N, 23°55' E, 18 miles WSW of Alba Iulia in Transylvania. Jewish population: 87 (1877). The city administers eight villages: Deleni-Obârşie (Obursatanya), Fliteşti, Izvoarele (Csufud), Mănărade (Monora), Petrisat (Magyarpéterfalva), Spătac (Szászpatak), Tiur (Tűr) and Veza (Véza).
I recently visited Blaj, Romania, with my grandmother for a Heritage tour of where she used to live. Two Jews still live there. I have their email address. They visit the Jewish cemetery in Blaj and look after it. This past year someone damaged the wall of the Jewish cemetery. No one has been found guilty of the crime. Source: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [February 2011]
US Commission Report:
The cemetery is located at Str. Eroilor no. 8, Blaj, judet Alba, 4611 2355, 160.7 miles NW of Bucharest and 50 km from Alba Iulia. The alternate name is Balazsfalva (Hungarian). Present town population is 25,000-100,000 with two Jews in 2011.
- Mayor Ioan Salea
- The Jewish Community of Alba Iulia, Str. Tudor Vladimirescu no. 4, Alba Iulia, Romania. Phone: 00/40/58/817840
- The Federation of the Jewish Communities of Romania, Sf. Vineri Str., no. 9-11, Sector 3, Bucharest, Romania
- "A.D. Xenopol" Institute of History, Lascar Catargi Str., no. 15, 6400- Iasi (judet Iasi), Romania. Tel. 032/212614; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Director: Alexandru Zub.
- Key holder and caretaker: Fekete Albert, Str. Alunului 3, Blaj
- Interested: Abraham Geza, Str. Tudor Vladimirescu no. 4, Alba Iulia, Romania. Phone: 00/40/58/817840
The 1880 Jewish population by census was 109 and in 1930 was 227. The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established in 19th century with last known burial in 1998. The cemetery is 1 km from the congregation that used it.
The urban flat land, separate but near other cemeteries, has no sign or marker. Reached by a public road, access is open with permission. A masonry wall with a gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 70 x 80 m. 100-500 stones are visible, all in original location. More than 75% of the stones are toppled or broken. Location of stones removed from the cemetery is unknown. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is not a problem. Water drainage is good all year. No special sections.
The oldest known gravestone dates from about.1915. The 20th century marble, granite, limestone, and sandstone boulders, flat shaped, smoothed and inscribed, sandstone, and slate have Hebrew, German, Romanian, and Hungarian inscriptions. Some have portraits on stones and metal fences around graves. The national Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are residential. Occasionally, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been clearing vegetation and wall repair. Current care is unpaid regular caretaker. No structures.
Lucian Nastasă, Clinicilor Str., no. 19, Cluj, Romania, tel. 064/190107. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. visited the site and completed the survey on October 30, 2000 using the following documentation:
- Tr. Rotaru (coord.), Recensamintul din 1880. Transilvania, Cluj, Edit. Staff, 1997.
- Kalman Weszpremy, A magyarorszagi zsidok statistikaja, Debrecen, 1907.
- Recensamintul general al populatiei Romaniei, 1930, vol. II, publicat de Sabin Manuila, Bucuresti, 1938.
- Lajos Venetianer, A magyar zsidosag tortenete, Budapest, 1922
- Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. Istoria evreilor din Transilvania (1623-1944), Bucuresti, Edit. Enciclopedica, 1994.
- Izvoare si marturii referitoare la evreii din Romania, I-III/1-2, Bucuresti, 1986-1999.
- Ladislau Gyemant, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Evreii din Transilvania in epoca emanciparii (1790-1867), Bucuresti, Edit. Enciclopedica, 2000
Lucian Nastasă interviewed Abraham Geza, Str. Tudor Vladimirescu no. 4, Alba Iulia, Romania. Phone: 00/40/58/817840. [January 2003]