Chortkiv New Jewish Cemetery on Pulyuya Street

Cemetery Information

Country
Ukraine
Region
Ternopyl
District
Chortkiv
Settlement
Chortkiv
Site address
The cemetery is located in the forest adjacent to I. Pulyuya Street.
GPS coordinates
49.00789, 25.80117
Perimeter length
362 metres
Is the cemetery demolished
no
Type and height of existing fence
The cemetery is surrounded by an old metal fence of 1.5 metres height.
Preservation condition
Fenced and protected Jewish cemetery
General site condition
The cemetery is severely overgrown. It requires clearing and re-fencing
Number of existing gravestones
About 500
Date of oldest tombstone
1843 (oldest found by ESJF expedition)
Date of newest tombstone
1959 (latest found by ESJF expedition)
Urgency of erecting a fence
Low
Land ownership
Property of local community
Preserved construction on site
Drone surveys
No

Historical overview

The exact period of the cemetery’s establishment is unknown. According to the dates on preserved gravestones, it can be assumed that the cemetery already existed in the mid-19th century and was operating until the second half of the 20th century. The cemetery was vandalised during WWII.

The Jews were known in Chortkiv since the early 17th century. 50 Jewish families suffered Khmelnytskyi massacres of 1648-1649. 746 Jews resided in Chortkiv in 1765. In the mid-18th century, the Jewish community became independent. Earlier it subordinated to the Lviv Kehilla. The local Jews were engaged in tradings and crafts. In 1860, a Hasidic court was founded by Rabbi David Moshe Friedman. The Jewish population stood at 3,106 (68,5% of the total population) in 1890. The Zionists came to the town in 1897. The Bund was active in Chortkiv in the early 20th century. In 1910, 2,907 Jews were inhabitants of Chortkiv. During WWI, 5,000 refugees flooded, 35% of whom perished after the epidemics. At the same time, the orphanage was established. The peak of the Jewish population was 5,869 (30,7% of the total population) in 1935. The commercial activity was prohibited after the Soviet annexation. Many young Jews were drafted into the Soviet army. On June 6, 1941, the Wermacht troops occupied Chortkiv. A pogrom started by local Ukrainians claimed the lives of 300 Jews. In April 1942, a ghetto was founded. A labour camp operated in the town. In June and September 1943, the ghetto and the labour camp were liquidated. On August 27, 1943, around 2,000 Jews were deported to the Belzec death camp. About 100 Jews survived the war.

3D model