Ovruch New Jewish Cemetery

Cemetery Information

Country
Ukraine
Region
Zhytomyr
District
Ovruch
Settlement
Ovruch
Site address
The cemetery is located in an abandoned area at No.2 Metalistov street. It is at the eastern outskirts of the city, at the corner of st. Metalists street and the track to the village of Podrudye, 150m east of the railway crossing.
GPS coordinates
51.31453, 28.81335
Perimeter length
533 мetres
Is the cemetery demolished
no
Type and height of existing fence
The cemetery is fenced along the perimeter with a fragile wooden fence.
Preservation condition
Demolished and overbuilt Jewish cemetery
General site condition
The cemetery was demolished and overbuilt. Now the territory is neglected and there is a ruined, abandoned building.
Number of existing gravestones
No tombstones preserved.
Date of oldest tombstone
N/A
Date of newest tombstone
N/A
Urgency of erecting a fence
Fence is not needed
Land ownership
Private
Preserved construction on site
There is a Tziyun on the territory of this abandoned site.
Drone surveys
Yes

Historical overview

According to the Commission on the Preservation of Jewish Heritage, it was founded in the 19th century, and closed in 1938. The cemetery was demolished in 1949. It is marked on maps from the 1900s.

Jews in Ovruch (Ukr., Rus. Овруч, Yid. אָווריטש) are first mentioned in 1629. In the 18th and 19th centuries Ovruch was a major Hasidic centre. The Jewish population of Ovruch rose from 607 in 1765, (including neighbouring smaller communities) to 1,173 in 1847, and had grown to 3,445 Jewish residents (47% of the town) by 1897. The Jewish community maintained a synagogue, several prayer houses and chadarim, a talmud-torah, a private school, an elderly care home as well as 2 cemeteries. During the Civil War of 1918–21, the Jews of Ovruch survived several pogroms. Zionists were active until at least 1925. A Yiddish-language school operated in the 1920s. A Jewish collective farm was established near Ovruch. In 1939, the Jewish population of Ovruch was 3,862 (33%). In 1941, many of the Jews were able to flee the advancing German army. A pogrom was staged even before the arrival of the Germans. The majority of the Jews who remained in Ovruch were murdered. After WWII was over, the Jewish community reemerged. In 1970, the Jewish population of Ovruch was around 1,600 (12%). Most of the Jews emigrated to the USA or Israel in the late 20th century. As of 2001, there were 103 Jews living in Ovruch and the neighbouring area.
According to the 1994–95, survey of the Jewish Preservation Committee (KSEN), the cemetery was founded in the 19th century, closed in 1938 and demolished in 1949.