Jewish cemetery in Čížkovice

The Jewish cemetery in Čížkovice is a small, historic burial ground tucked among fields roughly one kilometer northwest of the village of Čížkovice in northwestern Bohemia, Czech Republic. Modest in size, it stands as a quiet witness to the Jewish community that once lived in the Litoměřice region, and it has been carefully restored after decades of neglect.

Where exactly is the cemetery located?

The site sits in an isolated spot known locally as "Na Svobodě," at the place where an inn called "Ziegelschenke" once stood. Such secluded locations were typical for Jewish cemeteries of the period — communities buried their dead outside village boundaries, often at a point convenient for several neighboring settlements to share.

When was the cemetery founded?

The exact founding date has never been fully established. Tradition points to the year 1800, but researchers believe the cemetery was more likely established somewhat later, possibly after 1819, when Josef Glaserfeld owned the local manor estate. The oldest surviving tombstone is dated 1839, suggesting that regular burials began in earnest during the first decades of the 19th century.

Who was buried here?

The cemetery served Jewish families from nearby communities, including Třebenice, Milešov, and Velemín. Notably, it also became the burial place for Jewish soldiers from the military garrison stationed in Terezín, giving this small rural cemetery an unusual military dimension beyond its role for the civilian Jewish community. The cemetery saw relatively brief use, with the last burials taking place at the close of the 19th century.

What happened to it during the 20th century?

Once burials ceased, the site gradually fell into obscurity. Over the course of the 20th century, dense vegetation overtook the grounds, and the tombstones became buried under rubble and soil. By the early 21st century, the cemetery was barely visible to a passerby, hidden beneath overgrowth and easy to mistake for an abandoned field.

How was the cemetery restored?

A turning point came in 2003, when the site passed into the care of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the Czech Republic. Between 2005 and 2006, a thorough restoration was carried out in cooperation with the Association for the Synagogue and Cemetery of Úštěk. The work involved clearing away vegetation and debris and stabilizing the surviving tombstones.

What can visitors see today?

Across a total area of just 539 square meters, around thirty tombstones or their fragments have survived. This is a modest count compared to larger Jewish cemeteries elsewhere in the Czech Republic, but each surviving stone offers a tangible link to the local community that once lived in this part of the country. The site's small footprint and hidden setting give it an intimate, contemplative atmosphere rarely found at larger burial grounds.

Frequently asked questions

Is the cemetery open to visitors? Yes, the grounds were cleared and stabilized during the 2005–2006 restoration, though given the remote setting, visitors should plan to reach it by car or on foot from nearby Čížkovice.

Why is the cemetery so small? Its limited size (539 m²) and modest number of surviving tombstones reflect a relatively short period of active use — likely from around 1819 to the late 19th century — and the fact that it served a small, dispersed community spread across several neighboring villages.

Who maintains the cemetery today? Since 2003, the Federation of Jewish Communities of the Czech Republic has been the formal custodian, with restoration work carried out together with a local association from Úštěk.

What is the connection between the cemetery and Terezín? The cemetery includes burials of Jewish soldiers from the military garrison stationed in nearby Terezín, an unusual and historically notable feature of this otherwise small rural burial ground.