The cemetery is located in Herina, no. 86, code 4421, judet Bistrita, Romania at 4701 2425, 195.9 miles NNW of Bucharest and 18 km from Bistrita. Alternate names: Harina (Hungarian), Monchsdorf (German). Present town population is under 1,000 with no Jews.
- Mayor Gaurean Vasile, Galatii Bistritei
- The Jewish Community of Bistrita, Gr. Balan Str., 71, cod 4400, Bistrita, 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.
- Key holder and caretaker: Trifan Vasile, Herina, no. 86, tel. 29
The 1850 Jewish population by census was 31 and in 1930 was 87. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the ghetto of Bistrita and on June 2 and 6 were deported to Auschwitz. The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established in 19th century. Last known burial was 1943.
The isolated rural/agricultural flat land has no sign or marker. Reached via private road,
access is open with permission. A fence with a non-locking gate surrounds the site. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 600 m. 20-100 stones are visible, some not in original location. 50%-75% of the stones are toppled or broken. Location of stones removed from the cemetery is unknown. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a seasonal problem preventing access. Water drainage is a constant problem because a small river divides the cemetery.
No special sections. The oldest known gravestone dates from 1920. Tombstones date from the 19th century. The granite, marble, and limestone common gravestones have Hebrew inscriptions. No known mass graves. The national Jewish community owns the property used for orchard. Adjacent properties are agricultural. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been re-erection of stones and clearing vegetation. Current care is occasional clearing or cleaning by individuals. The caretaker pays a fee to the Jewish community from Bistrita for using the land of the cemetery. No structures. Weather erosion is a moderate threat.
Cosmina Popa, Tatra Str. no. 4, tel. 064/ 128764, Cluj Napoca, 3400 and Ioana Raiciu, Bd. 21 Decembrie, 13-15, 064/190849, Cluj-Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on July 21, 2000 using the following documentation:
- The General Census of the Population of Transylvania- 1850, Ed. Staff, 1996
- Ernest Wager, Historisch- Statistisches- Ortsnamenbuch fur Siebenburgen-, Ed. Bohlau, 1977
- Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. Istoria evreilor din Transilvania (1623-1944), Bucharest, 1994
- Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localităţilor din Transilvania, I-II, Bucharest, 1968.
- Recensamintul general al populatiei din Transilvania-1930 decembrie 29, I-III, Bucharest, 1938
They interviewed Trifan Vasile, Herina. [January 2003]
UPDATE: I visited the Jewish cemetery in Herina, Romania, last month. The oldest gravestone belongs to my father's grandfather, Rafel-Zvi Thalblum, who died and was buried on the 7.7.1919 and not 1920 as written on.the gravestone in Hebrew. Tove Harel This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [October 2006]