International Jewish Cemetery Project - Romania F-J HALMAGIU I:
Alternate or former name is Nagyhalmagy (Hungarian.) 4616 2235, 212.4 miles NW of Bucharest and135 km from Arad. The cemetery is in the northern part of the village on the right side of the national road at the exit to Arad. It looks like a garden of trees on the edge of the hill. Few local people, mostly the old ones, know about the cemetery in the place traditionally called "at the Jewish cemetery" (la cimitiru jidovesc.) Current town population is 1,000-5,000.with no Jews.
- Mayor Iorga Marin, Primariei Str., no. 21, Halmagiu, phone: 142 (through operator)
- The Jewish Community of Arad, 10, Tribunul Dobra Str., 2900 Arad, Romania, Tel. +40-57-281310
The Federation of The Jewish Communities of Romania, Sf. Vineri Str. no. 9-11, sect. 3, Bucharest, Romania - "Dr. Moshe Carmilly" Institute for Hebrew and Jewish History, Universitatii Str. no. 7-9, room 61, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Director: Ladislau Gyemant, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Ex-caretaker: Toma Ion, Motilor Str., no. 44, Halmagiu, phone: 144
The Jewish population by census was 65 in 1880 and 46 in 1910. The unlandmarked cemetery dates from beginning of the 19th century. Last known burial was 1976.
The isolated wooded/forest hillside has no sign or marker. The cemetery is reached by
a. turning directly off a public road. Access is open to all. The cemetery is surrounded by broken fence and unlocked gate. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 60 m x 10 m x 15 m. No stones are visible. 20-100 gravestones are in cemetery with ten not in original location. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a seasonal problem preventing access. Water drainage at the cemetery is a constant problem. The cemetery has special sections for unmarried men. The oldest known gravestone dates from
19th century. The 19th and 20th century marble, granite, and limestone flat shaped and smoothed and inscribed tombstones have Hebrew and Hungarian inscriptions. The national Jewish community owns the site used for a Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent to cemetery are agricultural. Compared to 1939, the cemetery boundaries enclose the cemetery boundaries enclose the same area. Rarely, private visitors visit. No maintenance or care. No structures. Security is a serious threat: 10 m of stolen wall, open gate, and no caretaker. Weather erosion and vegetation are moderate threats.
Assistant Professor Alexandru Pecican, Almasului Str., Bl. R1, apt. 14, Cluj-Napoca, 3400 completed the survey on September 14, 2000 using the following documentation:
- The Transylvanian Census from 1880, Bucharest, Staff Publishing House,
1997The Transylvanian Census from 1910, Bucharest, Staff Publishing House,
1999 - The General Census of the Population of Romania - December 29, 1930, I-III,
Bucharest, 1938 - Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944),
Bucharest, 1994 (in Romanian) - Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania, I-II,
Bucharest, 1968
He visited on August 27, 2000 and interviewed Toma Ion, Halmagiu [January 2003]
HALMAGIU II: (judet Arad)
The cemetery is lost into the wood. The stones have disappeared or were destroyed year by year. Situated outside of the northern part of the village at the place "spre padure" (towards the woods), it is almost unknown, a weird and savage place nowadays.
No caretaker or key holder, but Toma Ion, Motilor Str., no. 44, Halmagiu, phone: 144 is the former caretaker. The isolated hillside has no sign or marker. The cemetery is reached by a. turning directly off a public road with access is open to all via a broken fence with no gate at all. Approximate pre-WWII size was unknown. Approximate post-WWII size around 1300 quadrat m. Nine stones are visible. With 4 toppled or broken. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a constant problem, damaging stones. Water drainage at the cemetery is a constant problem. The oldest known gravestone dates from the 19th century. The 19th and 20th century marble, granite, and limestone flat shaped and smoothed and inscribed tombstones have Hebrew and Hungarian. The cemetery has concrete tombstones.
The national Jewish community is now used for Jewish cemetery only. Compared to 1939, the cemetery boundaries enclose the cemetery boundaries enclose the same area. Rarely, private visitors stop. No maintenance. No care. No structures. Security is a very serious threat. (no wall, open gate, no caretaker) Vegetation is a serious threat. (The trees damage the tombs.) Vandalism is a very serious threat. The stones were damaged and stolen for building materials. Incompatible nearby development, planned, current, or proposed, is a moderate threat Assistant Professor Alexandru Pecican, Almasului Str., Bl. R1, apt. 14, Cluj-Napoca, 3400 completed the survey on September 14, 2000 using the following documentation:
- The Transylvanian Census from 1880, Bucharest, Staff Publishing House,
1997The Transylvanian Census from 1910, Bucharest, Staff Publishing House,
1999 - The General Census of the Population of Romania - December 29, 1930, I-III,
Bucharest, 1938 - Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944),
Bucharest, 1994 (in Romanian) - Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania, I-II,
Bucharest, 1968
He visited on August 27, 2000 and interviewed Toma Ion, Halmagiu [January 2003]