International Jewish Cemetery Project - Romania Bo-Bu US COMMISSION NO. RO/MM/45
Alternate/former Hungarian name: Budfalva. Located in Jud. Maramureş at 4744 2357 250.0 miles NNW of Bucharest
- Local authority should be Comunitatea Evreilor (Maramures Sighet), str. Basarabiei 8, Sighetu Marmatei, Jud. Maramureş, Romania. Tel: (40-62) 311-652.
- Regional authority: Federation of Jewish Communities Romania, Str. Sf. Vineri 9-11, Bucureşti, Tel: (40-1) 613-2538, 143-008. Contact: Mr. Alex Silvan
- Interested: Jewish community in Sighet or the Federation of Jewish Communities in Bucuresti.
- Caretaker: Mr. Ioan and Mrs. Maria Marinca, Com. Budeşti nr. 173, Jud. Maramures, Romania. Mr. Marinca's mother had been the cemetery caretaker from 1980.
A concrete post and wire mesh fence protects the cemetery in Budeşti. The gate is kept locked at all times. The area enclosed by the fence is quite large though most of the markers are confined to the NW corner of the cemetery. The caretakers, Mr. and Mrs. Ioan and Maria Marinca, care for the cemetery to the best of their means. They regularly cut the grass and remove any saplings that threaten to disturb the gravestones. Nevertheless, natural problems beyond the control of the caretakers are beginning to visibly take their toll on the cemetery's markers. Many of the stones fashioned of weaker materials are in advanced stages of erosion. Others are leaning severely or have already toppled to the ground. The Marinica family, like many other caretakers, would like to see some funding to make necessary repairs to the stones themselves. Mrs. Maria Marinica, who we interviewed on the day of our visit, informed us that her husband has been caretaker of the cemetery for about nineteen years. Prior to the construction of the fence, about twelve years ago, there were some problems with a neighbor who tried to claim some of the land on the southern side of the cemetery for his own garden. It is not known whether or not the cemetery suffered any damages during this "feud".
The isolated rural (agricultural) hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by a public road, access is open with permission. A fence and a gate that locks surround the site. Present size of cemetery is by on-site estimate - +/- 3406 sq. m (60m x 32m x 58m x 86.). 72 Gravestones are in situ: 11 standing straight up, 5 toppled, 48 leaning, 1 broken, and 7 moved and broken. 65 gravestones in original location and 13 are toppled. The caretaker's wife stated that they had had problems with one of their neighbors, and believed that stones had been removed over time to be incorporated into roads or structures in Budeşti. Vegetation overgrowth and water drainage are not problems. The cemetery is probably divided into special sections for rabbis and Cohanim. The marble, limestone, and sandstone flat shaped, smoothed and inscribed, double tombstones, multi-stone monuments, and obelisks have traces of painting on their surfaces and cement grave boundaries with inscriptions in Hebrew. No known mass graves.
The cemetery property is now used for an orchard. Properties adjacent are agricultural and residential. Compared to 1939, the cemetery boundaries enclose he same area (probable.) The cemetery never is visited. Theft of stones is the primary problem encountered between 1945 and the present. Care has been seasonal clearing of vegetation by local non-Jewish residents and regular unpaid caretaker (twice a year minimum.) No structures. Weather erosion and security (uncontrolled access although the gate is locked at all times, this note is in reference to the neighbor mentioned above) are slight threats.
John DeMetrick and Christina Crowder (who have no further information) completed this survey on 30 June 2000. Other documentation exists. Further inquiries about the site could be addressed to the Jewish community in Baia Mare or the Federation of Romanian Jewish Communities in Bucuresti. They visited the site 20 June 2000 and interviewed caretaker, Mrs. Maria Marinca.
[UPDATE] Photos by Charles Burns [July 2018]