International Jewish Cemetery Project - Romania C Alternate Hungarian name: Alsocsob. Located at 47°09' 23°34", the village is in Recea Cristur commune, jud. Cluj, Transylvania region, 55 km from Cluj-Napoca and 35 km from Dej. It has population of 405 with no Jews.
- Local officials: Mayor Ioan Muresan and Vice-Mayor Marius Mureasan, Primaria Recea Cristur, 3435 Recea Cristur, Jud. Cluj, Romania, phone: 102. Dej Jewish community, str. Infra_irii, nr. 8, 4650 Dej, Ph.: 40-64-215179 is responsible for the site.
- Regional authorities: The Federation of the Jewish Communities of Romania, str. Sf. Vineri, nr. 9-11, sector 3, Bucharest, Romania, Ph.: 40-01-6132538 / 6132538, fax: 40-01-3120869, telex: 40-01-10798.
- Interested: Professor Ladislau Gyemant, Director of Dr. Moshe Carmilly Institute for Hebrew and Jewish History, str. Universitatii 7-9, cam. 61, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Professor Moldovan rediscovered the unlocked cemetery in the winter of 1998/1999. No caretaker yet. Mircea-Sergiu Moldovan, Ph.D. (Professor and architect), str. Paring, nr. 1, bl. A4, ap. 12, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Ph.: 40-64-161261.
The populations were as follows: 1840, five Jews out of a total population of 400 inhabitants; 1850-twelve Jews of a total population of 430; 1857-13 Jews out of 436; 1880-12 Jews; and in 1930, twelve registered Jews. According to oral testimonies collected by Professor Moldovan: six Jewish families lived in Ciubanca in 1940. In May 1944, the Jews were confined to Dej ghetto. On May 28 and June 6-8, they were deported to Auschwitz. Romanian witnesses reported that they tried to visit them in Dej but guards surprised them, forbid it, and severely menaced them. After 1945, Jewish population in Ciubanca ceased. Professor Moldovan recorded the tombstones of the cemetery on VHS videotape.
The Orthodox Jewish cemetery was established in the nineteenth century. Communities from other towns and villages probably used the cemetery because for 10 km around there is not another Jewish cemetery. It was 5 km. from the congregation that used it. Although not landmarked, Professor Moldovan works on a general urban planning for Recea Cristur and informed Dej Jewish community about the existence of this Jewish cemetery.
The isolated rural (agricultural) hillside site, now included in the village with no sign or marker is reached by turning directly off a public road and crossing private property. The old road was incorporated in present properties. Access to the cemetery is open with permission with no wall, fence or gate. The size of the cemetery before W.W.II is not now possible to determine. Eight gravestones are in the cemetery, six original locations and two toppled or broken. The oldest stone dates from the nineteenth century. The limestone and volcanic tuff flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones and flat stones with carved relief decoration have Hebrew inscriptions. No mass graves.
The owner is unknown but the property is used for agricultural use (crops and animal grazing.) Adjacent properties are agricultural and residential. The cemetery is visited rarely by private visitors. Vandalism occurred possibly during W.W.II but not in the last ten years. No maintenance. No structures. Security is a threat in the uncontrolled area. Weather erosion and vegetation are moderate threats. Because the cemetery was rediscovered this year it needs care: gate, fence, caretaker and a minimum of scientific research.
Professor Moldovan completed this survey on May 10, 1999 after a visit on March 5, 1999. He interviewed Ion Catalina on March 5, 1999 in Ciubanca.