US Commission No. CZCE000294
Alternate name: Uitwa, Uittwa, Utwein German. Utvina is located in Bohemia, Karlovy Vary at 50º04 12º58, 3 km NW of Touzim and 18 km SSE of Karlovy Vary. Cemetery: 1 km N of square. Present town population is under 1,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Obecni urad, 364 66 Utvina; tel. 0169/2020.
- Regional: Okresni Urad-Referat Kultury, 360 01 Karlovy Vary; tel. 017/266-21 and Zidovska Nabozenska Obec, Ceskoslovenske armady 39, 360 10 Karlovy Vary.
- Interested: Karlvarske Muzeum, Zamecky vrch 2, 360 01 Karlovy Vary; tel. 017/269-95 and Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-06-34 or 231-07-85.
Earliest known Jewish community was 1841 but congregation is older. 1930 Jewish population was 0 in Utvina and 31 in Touzim. 7 families were permitted in first half of 19th century; 22 paying members of religious society were registered in 1872. Jews moved to neighboring town, Touzim, and other big towns in second half of 19th century. The Jewish cemetery originated before 1841 with last known Conservative Jewish burial probably before 1939. Touzim Ger: Theusing), 3 km away, used this unlandmarked wooded isolated hillside without sign or marker. Reached by crossing private forest, access is open to all via no wall, fence, or gate. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.1687 ha.
1-20 stones, none in original location, date from 19th century. The granite and other flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, or multi-stone monuments have German inscriptions. The cemetery contains no known mass graves or structures. Karlovy Vary Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery and waste dumping in forest. Adjacent properties are forest. Rarely, private visitors and local residents stop. Vandalism occurred during World War II; many modern gravestones were stolen. There is no maintenance. Slight threat: weather erosion, pollution, vandalism and existing nearby development.
Dr. Peter Braun, Komenskeho 43, 323 13 Plzen; tel. 019/52-15-58; Rudolf Loewy, Jesenicka 33, 323 23 Plzen; tel. 019/52-06-84; and Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 0255-33-40 completed survey on 30 October 1992. Documentation: censuses of 1750, 1830, 1921, and 1930; cadastres of 1841 and 1870; Gustav A. Schimmmer: Statistik des Judenthums (1873); notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha; and 1984 letter of Catholic parish-priest Janak from Zlutice, deceased 1984. The site was not visited. Vlastimil Strnad, 364 66 Utvina 157 in 1992 were interviewed.