Nyirgyulaj Jewish Cemetery

The Jewish cemetery of Nyírgyulaj was established as early as 1838, which is the oldest identified date marked on a tombstone in the cemetery. It remained in operation until at least 1940 (the date marked on the latest tombstone). The cemetery has not been fenced.

The first Jews settled in Nyírgyulaj around 1770. In 1840, the Jewish population was 17, and increased to 122 in 1880, and 139 in 1920. The Jewish population in the village subsequently decreased, and in 1944, merely 43 Jews remained in the village. Following the Schism in Hungary Jewry between the Orthodox and the Maskilim at the Jewish Congress held in 1869, the Jewish community of Nyírgyulaj decided to join the Orthodox stream. The community was too small to maintain its own independent religious institutions, and thus were members of the larger Nyírbátor Jewish community. They had a synagogue, a cheder (religious school) and a Chevra Kadisha (burial society). By 1941, young Jewish men were sent to forced labour, following which religious life in the village ceased. In April 1944, the Jews were sent to the Nyiregyháza Ghetto and were deported to Auschwitz a few weeks later in May. Only a few Jews from Nyírgyulaj survived the war. In 1949, 4 Jews lived in the village.