Print

 

The cemetery is located at Miercurea Nirajului, near the village, cod 4333, judet Mures, 4632 2448, 158.1 miles NNW of Bucharest and 31 km from Targu Mures. Alternate name: Szereda (Hungarian). Present town population is 1,000-5,000 with no Jews.

The 1880 Jewish population by census was 31 and in 1930 was 211. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the ghetto of Targu Mures and on May 27, 30, and June 8, 1944 were deported to Auschwitz. The unlandmarked Orthodox cemetery was established in 19th century. Last known burial was 20th century.

The isolated rural/agricultural flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by a public road,
access is open with permission. A fence with a gate that locks surrounds the site. Approximate pre- and post-WWII size is 1000 m. 20-100 stones are visible, some 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 19th century. Tombstones date from the 19th and 20th century marble, granite, and sandstone common gravestones have Hebrew inscriptions. 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-erecting and cleaning stones and clearing vegetation. 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 Oprea, Bd. 21 Decembrie, 13-15, 064/190849, Cluj-Napoca, 3400 visited the site and completed the survey on 10 August 2000 using the following documentation:

  • Recensamantul din 1850. Transilvania (The 1850 Jewish population census. Transylvania) coord.: Traian Rotariu, Cluj 1996.
  • Carmilly-Weinberger, Moshe. History of the Jews of Transylvania (1623-1944), Bucuresti, 1994, in Romanian, Budapest, 1995, in Hungarian
  • Recensamantul general al populatiei din 29 decembrie 1930 (The General Census of the Population from December 29, 1930), vol. II, Bucuresti 1938
  • Coriolan Suciu, Dictionar istoric al localitatilor din Transilvania (The Historical Dictionary of Localities in Transylvania), vol. I-II, Bucuresti, 1967
  • Cosmina Popa and Ioana Raiciu interviewed Tecan Ioan, Miercurea Nirajului. [January 2003]

    Parent Category: EASTERN EUROPE