International Jewish Cemetery Project - Romania F-J The cemetery is located at Gelu, 1961, com. Varias, judet Timis, Romania. Alternate Hungarian name is Ketfel. 4601 2103, 268.8 miles WNW of Bucharest and 28 km from Sanicolaul Mare. Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.
- Mayor Horj Vasile, Town Hall of Varias, judet Timis
- The Jewish Community of Timisoara, Gheorghe Lazar Str. no. 5, Romania, tel., Timisoara, 1900, Romania
- The Federation of The Jewish Communities of Romania, Sf. Vineri Str. no. 9-11, sect. 3, Bucharest, Romania
- "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: Apostol Natalia, Gelu, no. 5
The Jewish population by census was 25 in 1880, 19 in 1900, and two in 1930. Unlandmarked Orthodox and Neolog The cemetery was established at end of the 19th century. Last known burial was inter-war period.
The rural/agricultural flat land, separate but near other cemeteries, has no sign or marker.
Reached via private property, access is open with permission. A fence with a locking gate surrounds the site. Approximate pre-WWII size is unknown. Approximate post-WWII size is 20 x 18 m. 1-20 stones are visible with 1-20 in original location and 1-20 stones 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 1893. The 19th and 20th centuries marble and sandstone memorial markers are flat shaped and smoothed and inscribed common gravestones. Inscriptions are in Hebrew and German. No known mass graves.
The local Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery and orchard. Adjacent properties are residential. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop at the never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been re-erection of stones, cleaning stones, and clearing vegetation. Current care is regular caretaker paid by the Jewish community of Timisoara. No structures. No threats.
Claudia Ursutiu, Pietroasa Str. no. 21, 3400 Cluj Napoca, Romania, tel. 0040-64-151073 visited and completed survey in 23 September 2000 using the following documentation:
- Recensamantul din 1880. Transilvania coord.: Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1997.
- Recensamantul din 1900. Transilvania Traian Rotariu, Cluj, 1999
- Recensamantul general al populatiei din 29 decembrie 1930 (The General Census of the Population from December 29, 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
- Izvoare si marturii referitoare la evreii din Romania (Sources and Testimonies on the Jews in Romania), vol. III/1-2, coord. L. Gyemant, L. Benjamin, Bucuresti, Ed. Hasefer, 1999
- Victor Neumann, Istoria evreilor din Banat (A history of the Jews from Banat), Bucuresti, Atlas, 1999
- Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967
- Microsoft Auto Route Express 1999
Claudia and Adrian Ursutiu interviewed Apostol Natalia in Gelu. [January 2003]