Jewish cemetery in Běleč-Elbančice

The Jewish cemetery in Běleč-Elbančice sits on a gentle hillside between the villages of Elbančice and Vilice, right off road No. 137, about 3 km from the small town of Mladá Vožice in South Bohemia. Although it administratively belongs to the cadastral territory of Běleč, locals also call it the Elbančice or Vilice cemetery — all three names describe the very same site.

When was the cemetery founded?

The burial ground was established before 1723 by the Jewish community of Mladá Vožice, not by a local Jewish community in Běleč itself — the village never had enough Jewish residents to run its own cemetery. It was later extended during the 19th century as burial needs grew. The oldest surviving tombstones date back to the first half of the 18th century.

How many Jews actually lived in Běleč?

Written records show only a small Jewish presence in Běleč from the late 18th century onward. Throughout the 19th century, just three to five Jewish families lived there, and the last mention of a Jewish resident dates to 1921. In practice, the cemetery mainly served Jewish families from Mladá Vožice and the surrounding area, rather than Běleč itself.

Who else was buried here?

Besides Jewish residents of Mladá Vožice and nearby villages, the cemetery also holds the graves of Jewish refugees from Galicia who ended up in the region during World War I. The last burials took place shortly before the outbreak of World War II.

How large is the cemetery, and how many tombstones survive?

The site covers 2,805 square meters and preserves around 180 tombstones or their fragments. The newer part of the cemetery was vandalized in the post-war period, with some of the more recent, valuable tombstones sold off before any protection was put in place.

What happened to the cemetery after the war?

Once burials stopped, the site fell into disrepair for decades. Repairs to the damaged surrounding wall only began in 1996, and restoration work — which also included a small ceremonial hall — continued until 2002. The cemetery is now owned by the Jewish Religious Community in Prague.

Can visitors go there?

Yes. The cemetery is freely accessible on foot or by car via a field path branching off the main road between Elbančice and Vilice.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the cemetery located? On a hillside along road No. 137 between Elbančice and Vilice, within the cadastral territory of Běleč, about 3 km from Mladá Vožice.

Why is it also called the Elbančice or Vilice cemetery? Because it lies directly between these two villages, and both names stuck locally alongside the official designation "cemetery in Běleč."

Who founded the cemetery if so few Jews lived in Běleč? The Jewish community of nearby Mladá Vožice, which administered the cemetery and buried its dead there.

How many tombstones have survived to this day? Around 180 tombstones or fragments, some dating from the first half of the 18th century.

Who takes care of the cemetery today? The Jewish Religious Community in Prague, which owns the site following its restoration between 1996 and 2002.