Site_JewishCemetery - Old Jewish Cemetery

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My Grandfather’s Shtetl

Old Jewish Cemetery
Now we were back on the main road and we made a right turn to get to the Jewish Cemetery site, which is about 2-3 acres. We say “the site” because the cemetery was totally overgrown and there was no sign to indicating that this was a Jewish Graveyard -- that loved ones are buried here.

In the distance we could see a large-cream and-white building with many windows. We were told this was the town school.

We got out of the car and started searching for any remaining gravestones. Ann Williams had mentioned she had found some larger ones on a previous visit. We found 3 headstones -- one with just a piece showing above ground. There was no lettering left on any of these stones.

It is said that the Jewish Cemetery was desecrated during the war and headstones were used for buildings, as often happened at the hands of the Nazis. One large stone building in Volchin town centre by the shop and the stone fence around the Russian Church are perhaps examples of this according to Dov Bar who visited in 1997. (Also mentioned in Andrea Simon’s book). It started to rain again so we headed back to the car deeply upset that this was all that remained of the resting place of Terry’s Ancestors.

When we returned from our trip we wrote to the Volchin Town Council requesting that the site of the Jewish Cemetery remain undeveloped as it is a sacred burial ground and that a plaque or notice to this effect be placed to mark this site. Their reply was “The old Jewish graveyard in Volchin village has been cleaned of plants and bushes and is still in the same place as before.”

Site of the Jewish Cemetery

Headstone in the Jewish Cemetery

Another Headstone found at the cemetery

Felicity on the site of the Jewish Cemetery

Terry by Headstone, Old Jewish Cemetery

Page Last Updated: 29-Jun-2011