photo of last remaining tombstone turned into memorial for entire cemetery p 67. town image [February 2009]
cemetery photo and synagogue photo [February 2009]
US Commission No. CZCE000411
Alternate name: Kohl-Janowitz; Kohljanowitz in German and Uhlířské Janovice in Czech. Uhlirske Janovice is located in Bohemia, Kutna Hora at 49°52′52″N 15°3′52″E , 18 km SW of Kolin and 49 km ESE of Praha. Cemetery: 700 m SSW of the square, close to pond (bathing place). Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Mestsky Urad, 285 03 Uhlirske Janovice; tel. 0328/2021 or 2022 or 2023.
- Regional: Okresni Urad, Referat Kulturym, Radnicka 178, 284 80 Kutna Hora; tel. 0327/2301; and Prazska ZNO, Maislova 18, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-69-25; and (District Conservator of Hist. Monuments) MUDr. Bohuslav Prochazka, Ceska 240, 284 01 Kutna Hora.
- Interested: Mestske Muzeum, namesti 168, 285 04 Uhlirske Janovice; tel. 0328/2215; and (local historian) Jaroslav Vacha, 285 04 Uhlirske Janovice 602.
Earliest known Jewish community was minyan recorded in 1724 with prayer room before 1790. 1930 Jewish population was 59. Peak Jewish population was in second half of 19th century (190 people in 1880). Later, Jews moved to big towns. Synagogue was built in 1798 with rabbi since 1826. The Jewish cemetery originated in 1834 with last known Conservative Jewish burial before 1943. Kacov (German: Katzow); Rataje nad Sazavou (German: Ratais); Cerne Budy (German: Schwarzbuda); probably Zasmuky (German: Sasmuk), 9-12 km away, used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated suburban-rural (agricultural) hillside has no sign, but has Jewish symbols on gate or wall (Czech inscription on memorial monument). Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all via no wall, fence, or gate. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.4405 ha.
1-20 one stones, few in original location, date from about 1900-20th century. The granite and sandstone flat shaped stones or finely smoothed and inscribed stones have Hebrew and Czech inscriptions. The cemetery contains special memorial monuments to liquidated cemetery but no known mass graves or structures. Since 1985, the municipality owned the site used for recreation (park, playground, and athletic field). Adjacent properties are recreational and agricultural. Private visitors and local residents stop visit the cemetery frequently as a park. Jewish congregation sold many tombstones in 1984; many were buried and walls pulled down in 1985. The cemetery was vandalized; and some tombstones stolen. Local/municipal authorities did work in 1985. Now, authorities occasionally clean or clear. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access and vandalism. Slight threat: pollution and existing nearby development.
Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40; and Vlastmila Hamackova, Zabelska 37, Engineer Mojmir Maly, Ve Stresovickach 58, 169 00 Praha 6; tel. 02/35-57-69 completed survey on 30 August 1992. Documentation: census of 1849, 1880, 1921, 1930; Hugo Gold: Die Juden und Judengemeinden Bohemens...(1934); letter of historian J.Vacha, see 12 (1985). No site visits or interviews occurred.