49°56' N 12°40' E, 80.5 miles W of Praha. Alternate name: Dürrmaul [Germ]
website in Czech with photo: not landmarked and freely accessible. "Jewish settlement is documented from the late 16th century. In 1724, 17 Jewish families lived there and in in the first half of the 19th century, approximately 30 families. Since the mid-19th century, the Jewish population in the village declined until in 1930, 36 Jews lived there. Jewish residential district and Jewish houses were concentrated in the middle of the square. Before the mid-19 century 25 houses were Jewish owned. Mostwere demolished so now only a few houses remain. Synagogue from 1800 to 1803 was built to replace the old synagogue and was used until 1938 when burned and destroyed. On its foundations, a fire station was built from 1945 to 1946. Jewish Community House was demolished in 1981. The cemetery located on a wooded hill about 1.5 km W of the village, about 400 meters N of the village of Panský vrch was founded by the 17th century and first documented in 1676. Approximately 1500 m2 with about 360 tombstones from the years 1673 to 1946 with Baroque and Classical tombstones decorated with granite elements of folk art, most often floral motifs." [September 2011]
Jews of Drmoul (Duerrmaul) with an 1801 baroque synagogue and an ancient cemetery.developed the spa amenities of Marienbad (Mariánské Láznē) and were founders of the Marienbad community. About 100 Jews living in Drmoul in 1896 and 48 in 1931.[February 2009]
US Commission No. CZCE00295
Alternate German name: Deurrmaulica. Drmoul is located in the Bohemia, Cheb region at 49º5612º40, about 5 km SW of Marianske Lazne. The cemetery is located 1500 meters W of Drmoul and 400 meters N of the hamlet Pansky Vrch (in German: Herrnberg). 2000 town population is under 1,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Obecni urad, 354 72 Drmoul cp.181; tel. 0165/711-21.
- Regional: (1) Okresni Urad, Referat Kultury, Obrnene brigady 30, 350 02 Cheb; tel. 0166/308-21 or 309-21; (2) Zidovska Nabozenska Obec, Smetanovy sady 5, 301 37 Plzen; tel. 019/357 49; and (3) Pamatkovy ustav, Dominikanska 4/6, 301 00 Plzen; tel. 019/354-62 or 358-71.
- Interested: (1) Statni Zidovske Muzeum, Jachymova 3, 110 01 Praha 1; tel. 02/231-06-34 or 231-07-85; and (2) Chebske Muzeum, namesti Krale Jiriha, 350 11 Cheb; tel. 0166/223-86 or 223-87.
Earliest known Jewish community in Drmoul was 17th century (the exact records burned with the archives of the local Jewish congregation in 1872). 1930 Jewish population was 36. The Jewish congregation was probably established after banishment from Plana in 1686. Peak Jewish population was in the first half of the 19th century with 29 families. After 1848, Jews moved to big towns, but an independent congregation existed until 1938. The ancestors of Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise (1819-1900), the founding father of Reform Judaism in the USA, and ancestors of the Czech writer Norbert Fryd (1913-1976) lived here. The Conservative Jewish cemetery originated in the 17th century with last known burial between 1900-1933. The town of Marianske Lazne (Marienbad in German) probably used this cemetery before 1875. This cemetery is very rich with varied old gravestones and should be listed in the register for "States Memorials." The cemetery was 5 km from the congregation that used it. The rural isolated hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by crossing private property (a forest), access is open to all via no wall, fence or gate. The size of the cemetery before WWII and now is 0.1511 ha.
Approximately 100-500 gravestones, some in original location and 25%-50% toppled or broken, date from late 17th-20th century. The granite and sandstone flat-shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decorations, double tombstones, or multi-stone monuments have Hebrew and German inscriptions. Plzen Jewish community owns the property now used as a Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent property is forest. Private visitors visit rarely. Vandalism occurred prior to W.W.II and between 1945 and 1982. Moderate threats: security, vandalism, and incompatible nearby development (planned/proposed). Weather erosion and pollution are slight threats. Vegetation is a constant problem, disturbing graves.
Dr. Peter Braun, Komenskeho 43, 323 13 Plzen; tel. 019/52-15-58; (2) Rudolf Lowy, Jesenicka 33, 323 23 Plzen; tel. 019/52-06-84; and (3) Jiri Fiedler, z"l, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed survey on September 2, 1992. Documentation (1) Census records of 1650, 1724, 1830 and 1930; (2) Die Juden und Judengemeinden Bohemens, 1934; (3) Jahrbuch fur die Israelite Cultusgemeinden Bohemens, 1893-94; (4) Jan Herman: "Jewish Cemeteries of Bohemia and Moravia" (1980); (5) Hana Slepickova: article in Vestnik ZNO, 1981, No. 8; and (6) James G. Heller: Isaac M. Wise, 1965. Dr. Peter Braun, Rudolf Lowy, and Dr. Pavel Sebesta from Chebske Muzeum visited site in March of 1992. Dr. Sebesta was interviewed for this survey.