Probizhna Jewish Cemetery
Cemetery Information
Historical overview
The exact period of the cemetery’s establishment is unknown. It arrives on the Austro-Hungarian First Military Survey map of 1780s, and later on the maps of 19th century and 1930s. The earliest preserved gravestone relates to the beginning of the 20th century.
Jews of Probizhna are first mentioned in 1569. In the first half of the19th century, a community existed. By the same time, two synagogues and a cemetery operated. In 1880, 978 Jews resided (41% of the total population). In the late 19th century, many Jews of Probizhna immigrated to the U.S. These immigrants started a charity for their home community in 1904.
In 1900, the Jewish population was 1,207 (42% of the total population) and reached a peak of 1,226 (39,1% of the total population) in 1921. In the inter-war period, the Zionism spread in the town. The youth Zionist organizations such as Ahava, Beitar, Ha-Shomer Ha-Tzair, and Gordonia were active. The Zionist group Beit Am operated a library. Hebrew courses were opened in 1923. In early July 1941, the Wehrmacht troops occupied Probizhna. In September and October 1942, the Jews of Probizhna were sent to the Belzec death camp and Kopychyntsi ghetto.
