Svalyava Jewish Cemetery

Presumably, the Jewish Cemetery in Svalyava was established in the late 18th century. The oldest preserved gravestone relates to 1805 and the latest one to 2007.

The first Jews arrived in the area of Svalyava in the 18th century. By 1830, 45 Jews settled in the village. In 1880, the Jewish population had increased to 319 (19,17% of the total population). By 1921, during the Czechoslovakian period, the Jewish population had increased to 1099. Jews were involved in the day-to-day life of Svalyava: 60 were tradesmen, 26 were artisans, few Jews were doctors, and one was a pharmacist. Jews owned seven factories and a bank. In March 1939, the Hungarian forces occupied the town, and the Jews were persecuted and forced out of their occupations. In 1940, 150 Jews were drafted into forced labour battalions. 1423 Jews were living in Svalyava in 1941 (16,9% of the total population). In August 1941 some Jews without Hungarian citizenship were expelled to German-occupied Kamyanets’-Podils’kyy and shot there. About 1000 remaining Jews of Svalyava were deported to Auschwitz on May 22, 1944. No Jews live in the town today.