LELEI I:
The cemetery is located in Lelei, 3979, com. Hodod, judet Satu Mare, 4723 2304, 5.9 miles WSW of Cehu Silvaniei at 4725 2311. Alternate names: Lele (Hungarian), LELEIUL and LELEIU (Romanian). Present town population is under 1,000 with no Jews.
The 1880 Jewish population by census was 18, by 1900 census was 30, and in 1930 was 21. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the ghetto of Satu Mare and on May 19, 22, 26, 29, 30, 31, and June 1 were deported to Auschwitz. The unlandmarked Orthodox The cemetery was established at end of the 19th century. Last known burial was inter-war period.
The hillside between woods and fields, separate but near other cemeteries, has no sign or marker. Reached via private property, access is open with permission. A fence with a non-locking gate surrounds the site. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 11 x 4 m. 1-20 stones are visible, all in original location. 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 end of the 19th century. The 19th and 20th century sandstone smoothed and inscribed common gravestones have Hebrew inscriptions. No known mass graves.
The local Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are residential. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been cleaning stones and clearing vegetation. Current care is regular unpaid caretaker. No structures. Weather erosion is a moderate threat.
Claudia Ursutiu, Pietroasa Str. no. 21, 3400 Cluj Napoca, Romania, tel. 0040-64-151073 visited the site and completed the survey on 29 July 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
- Ladislau Gyemant, Evreii din Transilvania in epoca emanciparii, 1790-1867 (The Jews of Transylvania in the Age of Emancipation 1790-1867), Bucuresti, Enciclopedica, 2000
- Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967
- Otto Mitelstrass, Historisch-Landeskundlicher Atlas von Siebenburgen, Ortsnamenbuch, Heidelberg, 1992
- Microsoft Auto Route Express 1999
Claudia and Adrian Ursutiu interviewed Rednik Vilmos, 29. 07. 2000, Lelei. [January 2003]
LELEI II:
- Key holder and caretaker: Rednik Vilmos, Lelei, no. 333
The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established at end of the 19th century. Last known burial was inter-war period. Between woods and fields, the hill, separate but near other cemeteries, has no sign or marker. Reached via private property, access is open with permission. A fence with a non-locking gate surrounds the site.
Approximate pre-WWII size is unknown. Approximate post-WWII size is 38 x 17 m. 1-20 stones are visible, some not in original location. 25%-50% 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 end of the 19th century. The 19th and 20th century marble, limestone, sandstone, and concrete flat shaped and smoothed and inscribed common gravestones have Hebrew and Hungarian inscriptions. No known mass graves.
The local Jewish community owns the property used for Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are residential. Rarely, private Jewish or non-Jewish visitors stop. The never vandalized cemetery maintenance has been cleaning stones and clearing vegetation. Current care is regular unpaid caretaker. No structures. Weather erosion is a moderate threat.
Claudia Ursutiu, Pietroasa Str. no. 21, 3400 Cluj Napoca, Romania, tel. 0040-64-151073 visited the site and completed the survey on 29 July 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
- Ladislau Gyemant, Evreii din Transilvania in epoca emanciparii, 1790-1867 (The Jews of Transylvania in the Age of Emancipation 1790-1867), Bucuresti, Enciclopedica, 2000
- Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967
- Otto Mitelstrass, Historisch-Landeskundlicher Atlas von Siebenburgen, Ortsnamenbuch, Heidelberg, 1992
- Microsoft Auto Route Express 1999
- Claudia and Adrian Ursutiu interviewed Rednik Vilmos, 29. 07. 2000, Lelei
Claudia and Adrian Ursutiu interviewed Rednik Vilmos, Lelei. [January 2003]