The cemetery is located at Lechinta, Santierului Str., cod 4452, judet Bistrita, Romania at 4701 2421, 197.3 miles NNW of Bucharest and 25 km from Bistrita. The alternate names are Lekencze (Hungarian), Lechintz (German). Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.
The 1857 Jewish population by census was one; in 1880 was 41, in 1900 was 79 and in 1930 was 162. 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 20th century.
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 gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 20 m x 10 m. 20-100 stones are visible. 20-100 stones are in original location. All gravestones are 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. Tombstones date from the 19th century. The limestone and sandstone flat shaped and smoothed and inscribed, and carved relief decorated gravestones, have Hebrew inscriptions. Some have traces of painting on their surfaces. No known mass graves. The national Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. 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 and repair of wall and gate.
by local non-Jewish residents in 1999. Current care is occasional clearing or cleaning by unpaid individuals. No structures.
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 Hosu Daniel, Lechinta. [January 2003]