International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

Print

 

International Jewish Cemetery Project - Romania Bo-Bu The cemetery is located in Bratca, 3577, judet Bihor, Romania at 4656 2237, 240.8 miles NW of Bucharest and 27 km from Alesd. Alternate name: Bratka (Hungarian). Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.

  • Mayor Cocuci Viorel, Town Hall of Bratca, 3577, judet Bihor, Romania
  • The Jewish Community of Oradea, Mihai Viteazu Str. no. 4, 3700 Oradea, Romania, tel. 0040-59-134843 (132587)
  • The Federation of The Jewish Communities of Romania, Sf. Vineri Str. no. 9-11, sect. 3, Bucharest, Romania
  • Interested: "Dr. Moshe Carmilly" Institute for Hebrew and Jewish History, Universitatii Str. no. 7-9, room 61, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Director: Ladislau Gyemant, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Caretaker with key: Fargalau Ilie, Bratca, no. 204

The 1880 Jewish population by census was fourteen, by 1900 census was 37 and in 1930 was 34. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the Oradea ghetto and on May 23, 25, 28-30, and June 1-5, 27 were deported to Auschwitz. The unlandmarked Orthodox The cemetery was established at end of the 19th century. Last known burial was 1934.

The isolated hill and hillside has no sign or marker. Reached via private property, access is open with permission. A fence with a gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre-WWII size is unknown. Approximate post-WWII size is 20 x 18 m. 1-20 stones are visible, some not in original location. Less than 25% of the stones are toppled or broken. Location of stones removed from the cemetery is unknown. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is not a problem. Water drainage is good all year.

No special sections. The oldest known gravestone dates from end of the 19th century. The 19th and 20th century marble, limestone, and concrete flat shaped, smoothed and inscribed, and carved relief-decorated multi-stone monuments have Hebrew and Hungarian inscriptions.
No known mass graves. The local Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are residential and local cemetery. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been cleaning stones and clearing vegetation. Current care is regular unpaid caretaker. No structures.

Ursutiu Claudia, Pietroasa Str. no. 21, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, tel: 0040-64-151073 visited the site and completed the survey on 6 July 2000 using the following documentation:

  • Recensamantul din 1880. Transilvania coord.: Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1997.
  • Recensamantul din 1900. Transilvania Traian Rotariu, Cluj, 1999
  • Recensamintul general al popula]iei din 29 decembrie 1930, (The General Census of the population from December 29, 1930), vol. II, Bucuresti 1938
  • Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucuresti, 1994, in Romanian
  • Recensamantul general al populatiei Romaniei din 29 decembrie 1930, vol.
    II (The General Census of the Population of Romania from 29 December 1930,
    vol. II), Bucuresti, 1938
  • Recensamintul general al populatiei din Romania din 7 ianuarie 1992 (The General Census of the Population of Romania from January 7, 1992), vol. I, Bucuresti, 1994
  • Zsido Lexicon, ed. by Ujvari Peter, Budapest, 1929
    Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucuresti, 1994, in Romanian
  • Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967
  • Otto Mitelstrass, Historisch-Landeskundlicher Atlas von Siebenburgen, Ortsnamenbuch, Heidelberg, 1992
  • Microsoft Auto Route Express 1999

Claudia and Adrian Ursutiu interviewed Fargalau Ilie, 06. 07. 2000, Bratca. [January 2003]