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Jews probably first arrived as traders accompanying the Romans. A chronicler mentioned a community in Brno by 1091. Jews were also noted in 1140 in the northeastern city Olomouc and later (1249) were mentioned in municipal law of Jihlava, located in Moravia. Jews, in the 13th century were limited from doing anything but lending money and engaging in menial trade. Czechoslovakia was formed in 1918 and it's first president, Tomas Masaryk supported Jewish nationhood. An excellent article authored by Phyllis Ellen Funke was published in Hadassah Magazine issue of March 2005. 14,000 of the 20,000 German, Austrian and Czech Jews deported to Latvia were murdered there in WW II. After May, 1945, there were 2,803 Jews living in Bohemia and Moravia. By 1948 there were more than 44,000, but many later emigrated to Israel. In 1950, there were only 18,000 and by 1970, only 2,000 Jews remained in Moravia. Research - at this site you will find many links to
Yugoslavia, Croatia, Bosnia and the Czech Republic among other countries and subjects -
Prague Museum Jewish Characters
The Czech Republic is located southeast of Germany and is slightly smaller than the state of South Carolina. Land boundaries are Austria, Germany, Poland and Slovakia. Nearly 85% of the Czech Jewish population were murdered in the Holocaust. Today, there are 10.3 million people living in this country. 77,291 -- names are painted on the wall of the sanctuary of the 500 year old Pinkas Synagogue in Prague. After WW II, the Communist rule made Jewish living even more difficult. Information about the Jews of the Czechoslovak Republic can be found at
Holocaust During the 1930s, keep in mind in your research, that all of western Ukraine was either located in Poland and/or Czechoslovakia. Yizkor Books Die Juden und Judengemeinde
Bohmens in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart (The
Jews and Jewish Communities of Bohemia in the past and present) Archives Archives - Archiv Prazskeho hradu - in
Prague National Archives Administration - in Prague State Archives - Czech Republic - in Prague Archives - List of archives in former German or German occupied territories. The list includes: Central State Archives in Prague: Phone (0042-2) 57 32 03 38 Bergen-Belsen, Germany
"Various Lists of Czechoslovak Inmates at Bergen-Belsen" Bohemia-Moravia Special interest Group http://www.jewishgen.org/bohmor/
"The Web
Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities In Bohemia and Moravia" "Die Juden und Judengemeinden Bohmens in Vergangenheit un Genenwart "
"The Web
Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities In Bohemia and Moravia" "Die Juden und Judengemeinden Mahrens in Vergangenheit un Gegenheit " "GemeindeView" - The beginnings of a web based encyclopedia commemorating all of the Jewish communities that once existed in the Bohemia-Moravia region at http://www.jewishgen.org/bohmor/gemeinde.htm To join this SIG, subscribe at
Beginner's Guide to Austrian-Jewish Genealogy - you need to type in ausguide.html
at this site The name Bohemia is still used in the Czech Republic which consists of Bohemia and Moravia. And here is a little bit of an interesting fact about Bohemia which was once a country and is now a region within the Czech Republic -- it was illegal in the 15th century to sell hops outside the country. In fact, it was considered such a heinous crime that the punishment for violating the law was death. The Czech Federation of Jewish Communities Their resources are limited by the need to maintain some 350 cemeteries and 180 synagogues across the country. The president is Jan Munk and the executive director is Tomas Kraus..
Books
"Ancient Ashkenazic Surnames: Jewish Surnames from Prague (15th to 18th Centuries)" by Alexander Beider. This book identifies 700 surnames from this ancient city of Prague. Buy from Amazon.com "Austrian, Czech and German Jews in Riga"
"Czech Business Directory" "Czech Jewish Vital Records Registers" authored by professional genealogist Felix Gundacher of Vienna, Austria has published two editions; one for Bohemia and one for Moravia. The Bohemian book costs about $21.00 and the Moravia book is priced at about $15.00. Each entry in the book shows the town and time span. Roman Catholic register entries are listed when they include Jewish records. Gundacher's e-mail address is ihff@netway.at "The Great Jewish Cities of Central and Eastern Europe: A Travel guide and Resource Book to Prague, Warsaw, Cracow, and Budapest" - authored by Eli Valley Buy from Amazon.com "Jews In Svoboda's Army In The Soviet union-Czechoslovak Jewry's Fight Against the Nazis During World War II" by Erich Kulka. It gives a detailed history of the formation and fighting of Svoboda's Army and includes lists of its soldiers that either fell in battle or received medals. "The History of the Jews of Tachau" "Jewish Surnames in Prague: (15th-18th Centuries)" - authored by Alexander Beider
"The Problem of the Immigrant" - authored by James Davenport Whelpley and published in London by Chapman & Hall Ltd in 1905. Chapter 14 - Austria-Hungary - features an English translation of the Hungarian Emigration Law of 1903. General In the August 10 2000 issue of JewishGen Digest, Louis Schonfeld wrote about Czechoslovakia very succinctly. "Those of us doing research on East Central Europe know that Czechoslovakia is more of a concept than an actual place. It is an ideological haven for those emigrants who wish to be perceived as a little bit more educated, sophisticated and enlightened vis-a vis the surrounding cultures and countries. To be a Czech was to be unlike the stern "Huns", the too emotional "Magyars" or the unsophisticated "Slavs", but rather a citizen of the new democratic world view. Czechoslovakia, excluding the period of the Communist dictatorship, lasted as a recognized independent country for a total of 18 years: from the ratification of the Treaty of Trianon in 1920 until the infamous Munich Pact of 1938. Excluding that small window of time in history, the area referred to by so many as Czechoslovakia was in actuality the geographical entities called Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia and Sub Carpathian Ruthenia. These areas were part of the Austrian Empire, renamed the Austro-Hungarian Empire after the Ausgleich (1867). Culturally, each entity had its own flavor which was an admixture of the various stronger cultural elements operating there. Therefore, Bohemia and Moravia was culturally more Germanic and Sub Carpathian Ruthenia was culturally more Hungarian, Slovakia was something in between. Three political entities co-exists today as the Czech Republic - Bohemia (plus a section of Silesia), Moravia (from the 9th to the early 10th centuries was an empire unto itself.) Of course, this is a simplified description since many ethnic groups lived throughout the country and each contributed elements of their lifestyle to the cultural whole." About the Czech Republic - a detailed web site of information about the
Czech Republic with plenty of links Getting Started with Czech-Jewish Genealogy - http://www.jewishgen.org/BohMor/index.html Association of Czechoslovakian Jewry in Israel E-mail Hitachdut Yotsey Csechoslovakia at csjews@zahav.net.il The association publishes the "Hazman Haze" and further information can be obtained by writing to PO Box 29833 Tel Aviv 61297, Israel Constitution of the Czech Republic http://www.psp.cz/cgi-bin/eng/docs/laws/constitution.html Currency 1 Koruna (Kc) = 100 haleru Czech Info Center
Current currency exchange rates; travel information, Genealogy Czech Mailing List on RootsWeb Send an e-mail with "subscribe" in the Subject line to CZECH-L-request@rootsweb.com Czech Searchable web site
In Czechoslovakian language East European Genealogical Society http://www.GateWest.net/~eegsi/ English - Czech Dictionary http://ww2.fce.vutbr.cz/bin/ecd Europages Business to business company directory and business in Europe, yellow pages access, international and European business directory (professional services, addresses and business classifieds Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic Prague 11001, Czech Republic Forum of Jewish Communities (Kehillot) from Czechoslovakia http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/4017/CZECH.HTM http://www.zchor.org/CZECH.HTM Genealogical research
In the lands of the former Austro-Hungarian Monarchy - a Guide to Archives and Parish-Registers Jewish Communities The forum of Jewish communities (Kehillot) from
Czechoslovakia contains a list of over 550 lost communities from Czechia, Moravia and Slezia, Slovakia and
Podkarpatska Rus, where there has once been a Jewish community of over 50 living Jews. There are now over 261. "Connection People", "Anshei Kesher", who are registered in the database, most of them were born in the town and they volunteered to try and preserve its heritage, and who can still give information. Jewish Federation of Slovakia http://www.angelfire.com/il/chatamsofer/index.html Jewish Historical Sights
Discover, via a visual tour, Jewish sites including the Jewish Old Town area in
Prague, the medieval ghetto in Polna and Trebic, photos and information about the holocaust WW II memorial in
Terezin. Though this is a commercial travel site, it deserves your review at Jewish Library of Prague The Nazis in 1942 decided to preserve several synagogues and the library building in the Prague ghetto as a collection point for Jewish ritual items and books looted mainly from synagogues and private collections in Bohemia and Moravia. The museum objects are now so well preserved and displayed that it is a focal point of tourism in the city. The Jewish Library of Prague (JLP), has been preserved intact since it was founded in 1857. It started with 6,000 volumes and by 1938, there were 23,000 books and 350 manuscripts. At the beginning of WW II, these mere moved to the Zlata Koruna Monastery in south Bohemia and they were returned to Prague in 1946. Many of the books in the collection are marked with the signature "Jc" on a half-title or title page and a yellow label, called 'Ghettburcherie', was glued to the spine. One hundred thousand books were sent from Terezin to Prague. After the war, 40,000 of these books were sent to the Jewish National Library in Israel. The rest were returned to the Jewish institutions from which they were stolen. Today, the library contains approximately 100,00 volumes, many rare Jewish books and 400 manuscripts. If you are interested in the story of the JLP, you can read it in the American Jewish World Archives dated May 31, 2002 which was written by Rabbi Bernhard Raskas or write to: American Jewish World
Map of Prague - an excellent current map of the city http://www.worldexecutive.com/cityguides/prague/map_d2.html Map of Czech Republic Moravia The capital city for the Czech Republic's second city is Brno. Armaments were made here for the Jewish underground for use in Israel's fight for independence. Jews were expelled from royal cities between 1454 and 1514 and in 1526, by decree of the Catholic Hapsburg King Ferdinand I, began centuries of official, if not always enforced, religious intolerance. When Charles VI became King in 1725, he limited marriages by Jews to one son per family and mandated geographical separation in Moravian towns. Jews, who numbered about 43,000 in 1867, finally received full rights as Hapsburg monarchy citizens. Jews then became involved in trade, textile and clothing industries, timber, glass, sugar, malt, mining, iron and steel, even working on the railroad. Intellectuals and artists, philosophers and politicians began to emerge. Moving Here Trace your roots from Czech Republic to Britain and help in finding the relevant records in your search National Library of the Czech Republic Newspaper Link Researchers Eugen Stein
- information obtained from Susan Boyer of Los Angeles. Search & Unite
Attempt to help locate people who, despite the passage of so many years since World War II, may still exist "out there". This organization also assists in the process of re-possession of property in the Czech Republic. See their Web page at Search Engines for Bulgaria Scroll down to 'Search Engines' Slavophilia A comprehensive guide to Internet resources on Russia and Central/Eastern Europe Translating Translating - there are many translating services, some for free, available to help with your translating needs in most languages including Czech, C'esky. One of these sites is Just in case you didn't think of it, contact a nearby university or college's foreign language department. They may offer to write letters and translate letters into English. A nominal fee is usually charged. Translation Service - a commercial site offering many language translating programs Translating Services - Click Here Just in case you didn't think of it, contact a nearby university or college's foreign language department. They may offer to write letters and translate letters into English. A nominal fee is usually charged. Vulgo A Latin word used to define "commonly known as" in Czech Birth Registry entries. Yeshiva University Museum in New York Has a permanent exhibit that include an illuminated 15th century Prague Bible.
Czech Cities and Towns
A view of Prague
Administrative Divisions There are 8 regions (kraje, kraj - singular)
Art Source International offers a selection of antique maps, prints and globes at Art Source International Map of Czech Republic Bejt Praha Jewish Community Prague 11001, Czech Republic Berehovo (Bergovo) There was a Jewish presence here before WW II Boskovice A synagogue still exists in this town. Bockow There was a Jewish presence here before WW II Bratislava There was a Jewish presence here before WW II
Brno Capital city of the Moravian region of Czechoslovak. 11,000 Jews were deported by the Nazis in 1939 to Theresienstadt and other death camps. Only a few ever returned after WW II. There are about 200 Jews living among a population of 350,000 in 2005. There is a synagogue, built in 1936. It is the orthodox Agudas Ahim located at 13 Skorepka. City maps identify "Das Alte Ferdinandstor (The Old Ferdinand Gate) as "The Jewish Gate". It is located at the end of Masarykova, the city's main street. Klein Palace is located at No. 15 in the oldest plaza (Namesti Svobody) and was built in the mid-19th century for Jewish ironworks owners. Holesov Synagogue - had 1,700 members in the mid-19th century. It is located about five miles east of Brno. It is said to have been designed in the 18th century to resemble a huge crown. One of its former rabbis was Shabbetai ben Meir Ha-Kohen (1621-1662; he is known as the Shakh, after his book Siftei Kohen. His grave is in the local Jewish cemetery. Jewish community offices are at Kpt. Jarose 3 - telephone: 011 420 545 244 710 Moravian Gallery (Moravska Galerie) built in the late 19th century for a Jewish industrialist Villa Tugendhat - built in 1930 for a young married Jewish couple of the Tugendhat family, owners of numerous textile factories is located at Cernopolni 45 Bushchyno The Rusyn name for Bustyahaza. Bustyahaza was the former Magyar (Hungarian) name. During the Soviet period, it had the spelling Bushtyna, which is also the current Ukrainian spelling. Bushtino was the former Czechoslovak official place name. Bzenc There was a Jewish presents
Cesky Krumlov Main square. Once a wealthy trading center. Within the Old Inn, there are vaults dating from the 13th century.
Ceska Trevova This place name exists in both Bohemia and Moravia and was often prefixed by "Bohmisch" or "Mahrisch" in order to distinguish it (now 'Ceske/Ceska' and 'Moravske/Moravska') 'Ceska Trebova and Moravska Trebova (please note the correct spelling) are two distinct towns about 30 km (20 miles) from each other on the respective side of the traditional border between Bohemia and Moravia. There are several other towns that use the descriptor "Cesky/Ceska" and Moravsky/Moravska" to distinguish themselves from a town of the same name in another land. Usually that have as little to do with each other as Paris, Texas has to do with Paris, France. (See Cesky Krumlov/Moravsky Krumlov, Beske Budejovice (formerly Budweis of Budweiser beer fame) / Moravske Budejovice, Cesky Tesin/Cieszyn, etc.)' Cimysl 166 miles north northwest of Vienna or about 45 km (30 miles) southeast of Liberec on Highway E442 (or Hwy 35) and about 60 km (40 miles) northeast of Prague, in Northern Bohemia. Czestochowa There was a Jewish presence here before WW II Doubrava
Located near Ostrava (formerly Maehrisch-Ostrau), and was Austrian at various times. It's in the southeastern part of Silesia. Here's a map:
Hartmanice There is a synagogue, built around 1885, for some 100 members of the Jewish community, which later declined during the next 30 years. During WW II, it was turned into a workshop and later became a military storage room under the Communist regime. By the 1980s, the synagogue was in need of complete reconstruction, but the nearby Jewish community in
Plzen lacked money to fund repairs. Michal Klima paid $5,600 for the synagogue after he discovered that it was up for sale on the Internet. He hopes to raise enough money to turn the building into a Jewish Museum. More information about this synagogue can be in in both English and Czech at Horni Benesov Formerly in Austria and known then as Bennisch Jicin There are Regional Special Interest Groups that have
Czech Republic information and links. The site includes links to
Bohemia-Moravia SIG, Denmark SIG, German-Jewish SIG, Hungary SIG and Stammbaum - German SIG Jonava (Yanovo) Located in the Kovno Uyezd. In JewishGen's ShtetlSeeker, there are Yanovo's/Janowa's in Belarus, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Russia. There are also many towns named Janow in Poland, including a Janow Podlaski and a Janow Lubelskie. There is even another Yonavo in Lithuania other than the one in Kovno Uyezd - today it is called Jokavai. According to a fellow genealogist, Karl Pollak who contacted me with some fine suggestions of improving our knowledge on several topics, 'there are at least 35 towns and villages with a name that is a variant of Janov in
Czech or Slovakia. However, not a single town named
Jonava or Yanovo/Janovo is located in the Czech or Slovak Republics. All of those names are based in one Slavic form or another on the Christian name 'Jan' (John) one of the Apostles. It would be near impossible to locate such a town without further data or a more accurate name reference.' Ada Green offered a listing of Jonava Societies and Associations associated with the JGSNY Cemetery Project in a message to the JewishGen Digest group on December 10, 2000 - Message No. 4 Klobuck is located within a short distance of Czestochowa, which is in Poland. 'There are, in addition, two towns of a similar name in the Czech Republic, Klobuky and Klobouky. Neither of these towns are anywhere near the Polish border nor the city of Czestochowa.' Kosice (Kaschau) - there was a Jewish presence here before WW II Krnov (Jaegerndorf) - Contact Melody Katz. There are Regional Special Interest Groups that have Czech Republic information and links. The site includes links to Bohemia-Moravia SIG, Denmark SIG, German-Jewish SIG, Hungary SIG and Stammbaum - German SIG at
Lidice A former steel workers village, is located in western Czechoslovakia (today's Czech Republic) and is located some 20 km northwest of Prague and about 5 km (3 miles) east of the steel town of Kladno and about 15 km west of Prague. There were no known Jews living in this town of about 300. This tiny town was little known until June 10, 1942, when it was destroyed by the German army in retaliation for the assassination of the German police General Reinhardt Heydrich 'The village was burnt to the ground in a blind rage in the same fashion as Oradour in France. Most of its inhabitants were executed on the spot.' http://www.fwkc.com/encyclopedia/low/articles Lidice - an Encarta Encyclopedia Article "Lidice" Lidice - At The History Place - Part of the World War Two Timeline http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/lidice-bio.htm Lidice Memorial Book - Because partisans* had killed the German Army Commander Reinhardt Heydrich near this small town, it was determined by the German authorities that this Catholic town should be destroyed and made as an example to the rest of the country's population. 173 men (16 years of age and older) were rounded up and killed and the women and children were deported. Then the Germans blew up all of the buildings and finally covered the town's remains with earth to hide their repulsive deed. * According to Karl Pollak, he states 'Grossly inaccurate'. Heinrich was assassinated by a group of Czech paratroopers dropped into the area by the British RAF, not by any partisans. Also the claim that Heydrich was killed 'near this town' is downright silly. He was assassinated on the opposite side of Prague on his way to his office at the Prague Castle.' Referenced:
The Legacy of Lidice - a none hour documentary about the residents coming to grips with the horrors suffered by their elders in the hands of the German Army. Lidice - Radio Prague - describes the barbaric liquidation of Lidice ordered by Hitler
Lidice,
Review about "In the Shadow of Memory" is a documentary on the tragic story of Lidice Massacre at Lidice - Photos of Lidice Photographic Visit To Lidice http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/ Metylovice Czech Jews to Texas Mikulov (Nikolsburg) Over 4,500 persons are buried in the Jewish cemetery of Nikolsburg - now Mikulov. The Jewish quarter is located on the slopes beneath Mikulov's castle and was the spiritual, cultural and political center of Jewish Moravia, and until the mid 19th century, the area's largest community. It was the seat of Moravia's rabbinate. There are Regional Special Interest Groups that have Czech Republic information and links. The site includes links to Bohemia-Moravia SIG, Denmark SIG, German-Jewish SIG, Hungary SIG and Stammbaum - German SIG at Mlada Boleslav http://www.speedylook.com/Mlad%C3%A1_Boleslav.html Mukachevo There was a Jewish presence here before WW II Piestany-Banka http://www.radixhub.com/radixhub/places/piestany_%5Bbanka%5D Polna
Jewish Historical Sights - remnants from a synagogue may be viewed while taking a visual tour. Jewish sites including the Jewish Old Town area in Prague, the medieval ghetto in Polna and Trebic, photos and information about the holocaust WW II memorial in Terezin. Though this is a commercial travel site, it deserves your review at
Prague (Praha)
"Jewish Surnames in Prague: (15th-18th )" - authored by Alexander Beider - can be purchased at Amazon.com "The Great Jewish Cities of Central and Eastern Europe: A Travel Guide and Resource Book to Prague, Warsaw, Cracow and Budapest" - authored by Eli Valley Buy from Amazon.com "The Rabbi Beneath the Clay" is a story about the Maharal, Rabbi Loew, and can be read in the October/November 2009 issue of October/November of Hadassah Magazine.
There are about 1,600 Jews in the Prague community. The capital of the Czech Republic and is located on the Moldau (Vltava) River. The Second World War and Jewish monuments near Prague Click on "Incoming Business and Congress Travel" and then on "The Czechs & Slovak Republics - Destination Profile" Today, the Jewish population is about 1,600 and the Jewish Quarter is no longer Jewish. Tomas Jelinek is the chair of the city's Jewish community in 2009. The little town is a quarter of winding narrow streets of small artisan houses and palaces from the 17th and 18th centuries. The Jewish Old Town lays between the right bank of the Vltava River and the Old Town Square and included the ghetto. 1938 Prague and suburbs telephone directory with address and in some cases occupations of subscribers listed. Thomas Reiner viukerville@worldnet.att.net has offered to do a lookup for anyone needing such information.
Prague Jewish Cemetery - over 12,000 headstones. It was once part of the Jewish ghetto, and because space was so dear, bodies are buried 12 deep, the first in 1439, the last in 1787 - 100,000 or more.
The most prominent tombstone is the one for the Maharal 9 The Rabbi
Loew. A sign at the cemetery states that of the 92,000 Jews who lived in 1941 in Prague, 80,000 were deported or exterminated. Prague Jewish Quarter, known as Josefov, holds a treasury of Jewish art and architecture and is located towards the north of the old city of Prague. An outstandingly beautiful area incorporating the Jewish Cemetery, a number of synagogues including the Pinkas, Maisel, the Spanish and the Klaus Synagogues, museums and residencies, and the Old Town Hall. It is particularly notable for the Pinkas Synagogue, which serves as a memorial for the Czechoslovak Jews who died in the Holocaust. The Pinkas Synagogue's memorial contains the handwritten inscriptions of the names of 80,000 Czech Holocaust victims. It is a maze of Czech history, winding through time and preserved simply because no WW II bombs fell here. There is so much to see, that it takes days to see it all. The 13th century Old-New Synagogue and Pinkas Synagogue is available for touring. The names of 80,000 Jews who perished in the war are inscribed on the walls inside the Pinkas Synagogue;; a list viewed by many in eerie silence. Fifteen thousand were Jewish children who were killed at Terezin Concentration Camp, located nearby. Prague Synagogue - artist Dora Shampanier (1922-1997) A gallery of many of Dora's bronze etchings available at Jewish Historical Sights - discover, via a visual tour, Jewish sites including the Jewish Old Town area in
Prague, the medieval ghetto in Polna and Trebic, photos and information about the
Holocaust WW II memorial in Terezin. Though this is a commercial travel site, it deserves your review at Jewish Museum - a good place to start. The museum has all kinds of flags and paraphernalia. The old cemetery and five synagogues nearby comprise the Museum and a single ticket is good for admission to most sites. Leo Pavlat is the director of the museum. Judah Loew ben Bezalel, also known as the Maharal was a chief rabbi of Prague whose writings have influenced countless Jewish scholars. To many Jews and non-Jews, Loew is known as the creator of the Golem, a clay giant made to protect the Jews of Prague. The Ceremonial Hall is a good place to start a tour of the Jewish quarter, which consists of a string of sites. One ticket allows you to enter five of the great synagogues, the Ceremonial Hall and the Old Jewish Cemetery and are open 9 am daily, except on Jewish holidays. Spanish Synagogue - a restored 19th century building featuring a Moorish interior and a stained-glass dome. Stare Mesto translates to 'Old Town' and that portion of the city called new town is actually 600 years old. Prague's ghetto, Josefov, is one of Europe's oldest. Wenceslas Square, with its broad, sloping boulevard, links Old and New Town, connecting the city's rich past with its modern attitude. Nearby is the 16th century Astronomical clock, the medieval Powder Tower and the New Town Hall. The 10th century Prague Ghetto is close as is the Charles Bridge, lined by 20 Baroque statues. Rimavska Sec Located 144.5 miles east of
Bratislava Ruthenia There was a Jewish presence here before WW II http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Trail/8095/carp.html Safov (Schaffa) A significant Jewish community located near Zjmno. A thriving Jewish community existed until the railroad bypassed the town in the 1870s. Many Jews then relocated to towns closer to the railroad. Safov is listed 13 times in Bohemia -Moravia SIG (Special Interest Samosoly Located approximately 100 miles northwest of Vienna and is in southwestern Bohemia. About 16 km (10 miles) northwest of Jindrichuv Hradec, a very small settlement of only a few houses. Satov Located about 15 km southwest of Safov and is on a rail line. There was a Jewish presence here. Sokolov A plaque commemorating Jewish Holocaust victims is located at the site of a former synagogue which was burned down by the Nazis in 1938. Only two of the town's 57 pre-war Jewish inhabitants survived. Staab Jewish cemetery of Staab database http://www.jewishgen.org/bohmor/towns/Staab.html Svalava There was a Jewish presence here before WW II
Svitavy (Zwittau)
Located about five miles north of Brno, once had a Jewish community. This is the home town of Oskar Schindler who saved 1,200 Jews and was made famous in Spielberg's movie. Terezin (Theresienstadt) The location of the former infamous concentration camp which had been passed off as the "model ghetto" by the Nazis. It is located about 1 hour northwest of Prague and was a fortress built under the Emperor Josef II in 1780-90. It was originally meant to protect access roads against the Prussian army during the Prussian-Austrian wars in the 18th century. It never fulfilled its purpose, but even after it lost the status of 'fortress', it remained a garrison town, with its Small Fortress serving since the early 19th century, as a jail. Before WW II, Terezin had a Ghetto and today it has a Jewish Museum. Trebic - Jewish Historical Sights - discover, via a visual tour, Jewish sites including the Jewish Old Town area in Prague, the medieval ghetto in Polna and Trebic, photos and information about the holocaust WW II memorial in Terezin. On the opposite side of the Jihlava River, from the towns main center, the old Jewish Town lies along a strip of land with over 115 of the area's original 121 houses remaining. The Rear Synagogue resembles its early 17th century Renaissance baroque design and is now a small museum showing off it's Jewish past. Though this is a commercial travel site, it deserves your review at The following site includes a tour of the town and includes a virtual tour of the Jewish cemetery. Trest - 107 local Jews were transported to the Terezin transit camp during WW II with only 9 survived the Holocaust. Thus ended almost 600 years of Jewish presence in this community. A memorial plaque in the town commemorates the local Jews who were taken from the town. Trubau - most likely refers to the town name of Trebova Tschimischi (Tremesek) is 123 miles north northeast of Vienna and about 15 km (9 miles) southeast of the town of Sumperk in the Jeseniky mountains of northern Moravia (Silesia) Usti - more than 1,000 Jews were killed in the Holocaust. A memorial to these victims is located in Usti nad Labern's town park, where once there was a Jewish cemetery at the location. Bedrich Heller is the chairman of the town's Jewish community in 2005. Two prominent members of the Jewish community of about 1,250 individuals, prior to the Holocaust, were Eduard Jakob Weinmann and Ignaz Petschek. Of the 195 survivors, most emigrated after the war leaving about 50 Jews living in the town today. Uzhorod - there was a Jewish presence here before WW II Valasske Mezirici - There are Regional Special Interest Groups that have Czech Republic information and links. The site includes links to Bohemia-Moravia SIG, Denmark SIG, German-Jewish SIG, Hungary SIG and Stammbaum - German SIG at List of Names Travel See also my "Traveling Roots" page and for books on travel go to my Amazon.com link by clicking here > Jewish Genealogy There is nothing like seeing for yourself, so Shirley and I traveled to Prague in August 2006. We took a river cruise, after spending four days in Budapest and ended our visit in Prague. Quoting a statement in an article about Moravia published in the March 2005 issue of Hadassah magazine, "Commercial tourist establishments catering to Jewish travelers are generally overpriced and ill prepared." "The the most thorough overall guide to Czech-Jewish sights and sites extant - Jiri Fiedler's Jewish Sights of Bohemia and Moravia (Gefen Books) has recently been reprinted, it remains, at least mere months ago, extremely outdated." Two feasible ways of proceeding are via direct contact with regional communities and/or local tourist offices. Private Tours, a commercial travel service, has been operating since 1997 in Prague and across the Czech Republic. They work with 5 stars hotels and others. They handle the usual logistical arrangements such as hotel transfers and bookings, but I see their real specialty is offering over 16 city tours and 30 different trips into the Czech countryside. According to their web site, their guides are very knowledgeable. They do it all, from private walking tours for individuals and groups, minivan and bus tours to arranging tickets for concerts and events, choosing restaurants, and arranging private boat tours. Travel & Business Service
Please let me know if there is a favorite link of yours that is not included in my site and I will be happy to add it to Jewish Web Index more to come ... | |||||||||||
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includes Bohemia and Moravia
Tombstones in Prague Cemetery 
Maps
Maps
Rabbi Weil's gravesite as
pictured in the October/November 2009 issue of Hadassah Magazine
Monument to Oskar Schindler in Prague
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