Alternate names: Dobříš [Cz], Doberschisch [Ger]. 49°46' N, 14°11' E, 25 miles SSW of Praha (Prague). 1900 Jewish population: 243.
website in Czech with photo: "The [landmarked] cemetery is located in Azalkové ulici, 1.5 miles N from the square on a hill above the settlement Větrník. Established by the first half of the 17th century, about 250 tombstones are visible, the oldest from 1650. During WWII, part of the modern tombstones were removed. After 1985 the cemetery area was reduced so that the part of the cemetery without tombstones received a sports hall. By the end of 1990s, no cemetery maintenance, then the area cleaned. Currently, the cemetery ensure ongoing maintenance. In the future,re-erecting gravestones from the 19th and early 20th centuries and possibly restoration of historic tombstones from the 17th - 19 century might occur." [September 2011]
Encyclopedia of Jewish Life (2001), p. 317: "Dobris". [February 2009]
photos [February 2009]
US Commission No. CZCE000225
Dobris is located in Bohemia, Pribram, at 49°46' N 14°11' E /25.2 miles SSW of Praha. The cemetery is 1.5 km NE. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with probably no Jews.
- Town: Metsky urad, 263 01 Dobris, mayor: Engineer Jan lanec. tel. (0305) 222-40.
- Regional: Okresni Urad, Referat Kultury (ing: Touzimska), Jiraskovy sady 240, 261 01 Pribram and Zdovska nabozenska obec v Praze (Ms Jana Wolfova), Maislova 18, 110 01 Praha 1, tel.(02) 231-69-25 and Pamatkovy ustav strednich Cech, Hybernska 18, 1110 00 Praha 1, tel.(02) 23-54-940 to 2.
- Interested: Okresni Muzeum, namesti H. Klicky 292 261 02 Pribram; tel. (0306) 4734 or 4746, AND Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1, tel. (02) 231-07-85 or 231-06-34.
- Caretaker with key: Ms. Engineer Rysova, Zahradni 299, 263 01 Dobris.
Earliest known Jewish community was first half of 17th century. 1930 Jewish population was 88. The Jewish community moved to big towns in 20th century. Prominent personages of Czech-Jewish movement Siegfried Kapper (1821-1879) and Karel Ficher (1860-1907) lived here. The Jewish cemetery originated before 1651 with last known Progressive/Reform Jewish burial before 1943. Pribram (before 1880); Druhlice, Novy Knin (German: Neu-Knin), Hlubos, Trhove Dusniky (form. Nemecke Dusniky, German: Deutsch-Duschnik), Hrimezdice (German: Wermeritz), 14 km and 5-12 km away, used this cemetery. The flat isolated suburban site has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open with permission via continuous masonry wall and locking gate. The approximate size of cemetery before WWII was about 1.015 ha s and is now about 0.22 ha.
100-500 stones date from 1701-20th century. The marble, granite, limestone and sandstone flat shaped stones or flat stones with carved relief decoration have Hebrew, German and Czech inscriptions. The cemetery contains no known mass graves or structures. Praha Jewish community owns the site now used only for Jewish cemetery. Adjacent properties are recreational, agricultural and residential. The boundaries are smaller than 1939 because of tennis court and mini-golf from 1975 and the first reduction of the cemetery. Occasionally, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred during World War II, occasionally 1945-1991. Restoration was done in about 1988-1989 (new wall and gate; the second reducing of the cemetery). Praha Jewish congregation pays the regular caretaker. Moderate threat: vegetation and vandalism. Slight threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion and pollution.
Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. (02) 55-33-40 completed survey on 5 June 1992 using Census 1724, 1930; cadastre 1839; notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha; H. Gold: Die Juden...Bohemens... (1934). No site visits or interviews occurred.