Alternate names: Jordanów [Pol], Yordanov [Yid], Yordanuv [Rus], Yordanev, יורדאנוב-Hebrew. 49°39' N, 19°50' E, Of the three places named 'Jordanów' in Poland, this one is 30 miles S of Kraków, 15 miles NW of Nowy Targ, 13 miles SSW of Myślenice. 1921 Jewish population: 238. Since 1999, Jordanów has been situated in Sucha County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship. It was 1975 to 1998 in Nowy Sacz Voivodeship. Yizkor: Sefer Nowy Targ ve-ha-seviva. (Tel Aviv, 1979). Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), III, p. 604: "Jordanów". 2002 population: 5063. Jordanów was founded in 1564 by Spytko Jordan on the salt road from Kraków and Wieliczka to Orava and Hungary. In 1581, it got a right to hold annual fairs, which by the 17th century became famous for linen, cattle and salt markets. Jordanów, on trade routes from Krakow to Orava and Hungary since the 16th century, lured an influx of Jews to the outskirts of the city. Details of the life of Jews in Jordanow and neighboring towns are not well documented. The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust shows that an organized Jewish community [kahal] existed by the beginning of the 19th century. At the end of the 19th century, 189 Jews lived there. The 1921 census showed 238 inhabitants. With the Nazi seizure of the town in September 1939, the Jewish population was subjected to increasingly painful repression. Joseph Windstraucha testified at hearing held in the Jewish Historical Institute-E. Ringelblum Warsaw (summary No 301/1781): "28 August 1942, [the Nazis] surrounded Jordanów, selected 72 elderly men and women, and the rest of the population - about 500 people - they brought under escort to walk to Makowa from where they exported to the Belzec. 72 of these were led to the city's Strończe Makowej, where they shot and buried in mass grave. Witnesses who buried them says that the victims were shot by a row of machine guns by SS policemen."  [May 2009]

CEMETERY: Located on the outskirts of the city on the road from Krakow "ZAKOPIANKA". After passing the city, turn to Bystrej Podhalańska, then park about 40 m from the junction (39.51 48.39). Go through the field along the crops and farm buildings to the tree copse surrounded by a wall. The cemetery is quite large with a lot of matzevot. A few still stand with the rest lying, scattered and difficult to see. The ruin of considerable size probably was the preburial house. Neglected and overgrown, apparently there is no caretaker as in Andrychowie or nearby Wadowice. The cemetery served Jordanów Jews and probably also Suchej Beskidzka and Makowa Podhalańskiego. photos [May 2009]

US Commission No. POCE000742

Jordanow is located in Nowy Sacz at 49º39 N 19º50 E, 74 km from Krakow and 76 km from Nowy Sacz. The cemetery is in a suburb called Makacz by the road to Makow Podhalanski at 3 Maja Street. Present town population is 1,000-5000 with no Jews.

• Town: (Mayor) Burmistrz, Urzad Miasta i Gminy, Rynek 1, 34-485 Jordanow, Tel. 75516.
  
• Regional: See Bobowa Konserwator AWojewoolzki mgr. ins, Zygmunt Leweruk? ul Kilinokiego 68, 33-300 Nowy Sacz: tel. 238-38 234.
  

1921 Jewish population was 238 persons. Orthodox and Progressive/Reform Jews were buried in the unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated suburban flat land has no sign or marker. The cemetery is open to all. A broken masonry wall with no gate surrounds. The size of the cemetery before WWII and now is.6 ha. 1-20 stones, all in their original location with 50%-75% toppled or broken, date to the 19th and 20th centuries. The marble, sandstone and concrete flat stones with carved relief decoration have Hebrew and Polish inscriptions. The site is used for Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are recreational and agricultural. Occasionally, private visitors stop. It was vandalized during WW II. The cemetery has no maintenance. There are no cemetery-related structures. Vegetation overgrowth is a very serious constant problem damaging stones. Water drainage is a seasonal problem. Security and weather erosion are moderate threats. Vandalism is a slight threat. The cemetery is overgrown with young trees.

Piotr Antoniak ul Dobno 5 36, 05-800 completed survey on Sept 8, 1992 after a visit on Aug. 22, 1992.