HODONIN: Moravia

Göding [Ger], Goeding is a town on the River Morava in SE Moravia with a 2006 population of 26,226. Hodonín was first mentioned in 1046. In the vicinity of the town is an oil field and a stratum of lignite formerly transported to the town of Otrokovice, a few km from the city of Zlín, by a special water channel known as the Baťův kanál.

town image [February 2009]

KehilaLink [Oct 2013]

In 1648 the Jewish community is mentioned as having existed "for many years", maybe two cemeteries in 1682. By 1688, the Jewish quarter on an island in the Morava (March) River with thirty houses and a synagogue was home to Jews, who owned vineyards and wine cellars. In 1773, the community numbering 415 was expelled in 1774 by Maria Theresa, the local lord. Twenty of them founded the community of Kostelec near Kyjov. Later, Joseph II permitted 13 families to resettle in Hodonin. Jewish population: 109 in 1836, 215 in 1853, 433 in 1869, 976 in 1900, 797 in 1921, and 670 in 1930 (4.5% of the total population). Under Nazi rule and constituted as a district community (1939), the Jews were sent to Kyjov, then Theresienstadt in 1942 and from there to extermination camps. Synagogue equipment was transferred to the Central Jewish Museum in Prague. In 1970 the small community in Hodonin affiliated to Kyjov. Virtually no Jews remained by 2000. Austrian liberal politician, Joseph Redlich, was a native of Hodonin.[February 2009]

REFERENCES:

Encyclopedia Judaica

HODONIN I:     US Commission No. CZCE000083
Alternate name: Goeding in German. Hodonin is located in Morava-Hodonin at 48°52' N, 17°08' E , 32 miles SE of Brno (Brünn) in SE Moravia on the River Morava (Slovak border). The old cemetery is located 1 km W of Velkomoravska Street. Present town population is 25,000-100,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.

• Town: Magistrate Engineer Frantisek Karkoska, Mestsky Urad, 695 32 Hodonin; tel. 0628/22519.
  
• Local: Anna Cinkova, Mestsky Urad-Referat Kultury, 695 32 Hodonin; tel. 0628/22519. Regional: PhDr. Jaromir Micka, Okresni Urad-Referat Kultury, 695 00 Hodonin; tel. 0628/416.
  
• Interested: Muzeum T.G. Masaryka, Director Dr. Tatana Martonova, zamecek, 695 00 Hodonin; tel. 0628/21834. Marketa Mlynska, Druzstevni ctvrt 12/3131, 695 03 Hodonin; tel. 0628/22851.

Earliest known Jewish community was 1623. 1930 Jewish population was 670 persons. Banished in 1773, Jews received grant of residence in 1787. Rabbi Simson Bacharach lived here. The Jewish cemetery originated in beginning of the 17th century (1620?) with last known Conservative Jewish burial in 1939. Landmarked cemetery (Nr. 2235 S.M). No other towns or villages used cemetery. A sign or plaque in Czech mentioning the Jewish community and cemetery marks the suburban flat isolated site. 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 0.7918 ha.

1-20 stones, none in original locations, date from 17th-19th century. The marble and granite flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones and flat stones with carved relief decoration have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. Some tombstones have traces of painting on their surfaces, iron decorations or lettering and/or bronze decorations or lettering. The cemetery contains no special memorial monuments or known mass graves. The municipality owns the property used for recreation (park, playground, and athletic field). Adjacent properties are commercial or industrial. Occasionally, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred during World War II and 1945-1981. Now, authorities occasionally clean or clear. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access and vandalism. Slight threat: weather erosion, pollution, vegetation, and existing or proposed nearby development.

Engineer arch. Jaroslav Klenovsky, Zebetinska 13, 623 00 Brno; tel. 0 completed survey on 7.3.1992. Documentation: Gold, Herman. Other exisiting documentation was not used. No site visits or interviews occurred.

HODONIN II:     US Commission No. CZCE000084

The new cemetery is located 2.5 km NE. This unlandmarked Jewish cemetery originated in 1939 with last known Conservative Jewish burial in the 1980s. No other towns or villages used this cemetery. The flat suburban site, separate but near cemeteries, has no sign or marker. Reached by crossing public town cemetery, accesses is open to all via a continuous fence and gate that locks. The pre- and post-WWII size of cemetery is 0.0384 ha.

20-100 18th-20th century marble, granite and sandstone flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones or flat stones with carved relief decoration have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. Some tombstones have iron decorations or lettering, bronze decorations or lettering and/or portraits on stones. The cemetery contains special memorial monuments to Holocaust victims but no known mass graves. Brno Jewish community owns the Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are cemetery. Occasionally, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred occasionally 1981-91. Jewish groups within the country did restoration annually. Brno Jewish congregation pays the regular caretaker. Moderate threat: vandalism. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, pollution, vegetation, existing and proposed nearby development.

Engineer arch. Jaroslav Klenovsky, Zebetinska 13, 623 00 Brno; tel. 0 completed survey on 7.3.1992. Documentation: Gold, Herman. Other exisiting documentation was not used. No site visits or interviews occurred.