Bereznehuvate Jewish Cemetery

The exact period of the cemetery’s establishment is unknown. It is most likely marked on old maps of the region. Given the oldest tombstone dates to the mid 19th century, it can be inferred it was founded in that era. The settlement of the Jewish farm colony of Nahartav (now known as Bereznahuvate) occurred in three migration waves. The first 20 families came to the empty plain between 1807 and 1809. They founded the colony Nahartav together with the second, larger wave of migrants, who arrived in 1815. The third wave of migrants founded the Jewish farm colony Malyy Nahartav in 1811. In 1840, a Russian governmental elementary school opened in Velyky Nahartav. Between 1927 and 1935, lessons were taught in Hebrew, then Ukrainian from 1935 onward. In 1847, Velykyy Nahartav served as the administrative centre of the Jewish agricultural colonies of the Kherson province, housing the office of the Board of Trustees of the foreign colonists of the Southern Territory. In 1850, a district hospital was established. By 1897, the Jewish population numbered 1,571 (92% of the total population). In 1912, a two-storey synagogue was built. In 1918, a pogrom was staged, organised by elements in the Directorate’s troops. In 1919, the Jews were attacked by units of the Volunteer Army during another pogrom. ARA and Joint provided economic assistance to the colonists to help tide over the consequences of the Civil War. The material assistance to the community was provided by J.-I. Shneerson. In 1927, Jewish artisans united in the commercial co-operative “Zahalna Pratsya” (“Total Labour”) for the manufacture and repair of footwear and garments. In 1928, a synagogue was closed. The Jewish population numbered 1,141 in 1931. By 1939, three kolkhozes were in operation. On September 14, 1941, 112 Jews were executed by German troops. In the entire region, over 2,000 Jews were murdered. From 1956, the Jewish farm colonies of Velyky Nahartav and Malyy Nahartav were annexed to the village of Bereznahuvate, which, in 1939, was still home to 271 Jewish inhabitants (4% of the total population).