Alternate names: Nowy Sącz [Pol], Neu-Sandez [Ger], Nay Sants [Yid], Nový Sadec [Cz], Nový Sacz [Slov], Újszandec [Hun], (Santz) or נײ-סאנץ (Nay-Santz) [Yid], Neisantz, Novi Sach, Novi Sansh, Nowy Soncz, Naya Sandets, Sandets, Sandec, Sandz, Sants, Sanz, Tsants, Tzanz. 49°38' N, 20°43' E, 47 miles SE of Kraków, 29 miles SSW of Tarnów. Jewish population: 7,990 (in 1910). Yizkors: Le-zekher kehilat Tsants (Jerusalem, 1967/68) and Sefer Sants (New York, 1970). ShtetLink. JOWBR burial list: Jewish Cemetery . Nowy Sącz is a town in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland and the the district capital of Nowy Sącz powiat, but is not included within the powiat. At the confluence of the Kamienica River into the Dunajec about 20 km N of the Slovak border in the Sądecka Valley, Nowy Sącz was founded on November 8, 1292 by Bohemian King Wenceslaus II on the site of a village named Kamienica. An ancient trade route called the Amber Road passed through the town, connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Baltic and on the trade route to Hungary. Normal 0 Jewish presence is first mentioned in the second half of the 15th century, but no population accrued; however, in the 17th century, a bad economic situation forced starost Sądecki to welcome Jewish merchants and craftsmen. In 1673 years, Jews from Sącz received a privilege from King Michael Korybut Wiśniowiecki allowing them permanent residence in the city. Sącz was one of the most important centers of Polish Chasidism led by Chaim Halberstam (1793 - 1876) and his successors. The Nazis murdered the last tzaddik Sądecki Mordechaj Zeewa Halberstama in 1942. The ghetto held 20,000 people near the castle and was liquidated to Belzec over three days in August 1942. Across the river is the Jewish cemeterywhere 300-500 people were executed for sheltering Jews.  The Jewish community of about 25,000 before WWII, and nearly one-third of the town's population. 90% of them died or did not return to Nowy Sacz. The Great Synagogue dating from 1746 now the Galeria Dawna Synagoga (historical displays) with a memorial tablet on the front in Polish, Hebrew, and Yiddish is across the Kamienica River from the Jewish cemetery. photos and story. town history. Videos: 1 MOVIE * MOVIE 2. Photos. [June 2009]

Normal 0 MASS GRAVES. The Head of the Gestapo in New Sącz (Hamann) intimidated the Judenrat in 1941 by taking several members of the Judenrat [to shoot?] at the cemetery. Poles were sent to Auschwitz; and he shot dozens of Jews himself in the Gestapo building and taken to the cemetery on a cart. In early 1942 Hamann brought 60 Jews to jail on trumped up charges and from prison to the cemetery in April 1942 with about 400 people, all young, children. The dead bodies were thrown into the deep pits excavated in advance by the Jewish militia. Hamman saw a tall beautiful blonde and brought her to the prison, but later shot her. The Gestapo gathered a group of about 50 Jews, led them to the cemetery and murdered them. The mass graves in the cemetery probably are the grave of 2,500 people. On 18 June 1956 a monument was unveiled at the cemetery, commemorating the victims of the Nazi criminals. [June 2009]

US Commission No. POCE000075 or 751

Nowy Sacz is located in Nowy Sacz region at 20º42 49º37, 55km from Tarnow and 104km from Krakow. The cemetery is located on Rybacka Street. The town population is 25,000-100,000 with fewer than 10 Jews.

• Town: Prezydent Miasta (mayor) Urzad Miejski, Rynek 1, 33-300 Nowy Sacz; tel. 201 10 and 234 01.
  
• Regional: Wojewodski Konserwator Zabytkow, majr. ins. Zygmunt, Lewcruk, ul Kilinokiego 68, 33-300 Nowy Sacz; tel. 238-38 wew. 234.
  
• Caretaker? with key: Andrzy Swierczek, ul. Rybacka 12a, 33-300 Nowy Sacz.
  
• Interested: Leo Getterer, 600 Frankfurt a/Main, Guiollettstr. 25, Germany, tel. 069-729462. Ms. Holcer, Rynek 12, 33-300 Nowy Sacz.
  

The earliest known Jewish community was about 1690. 1921 Jewish population was 9009. Tzadik Chaim ben Leib, (1793-1876) settled there in 1830. He (1876) and Aron ben of Chaim (1906) are buried there. The landmarked cemetery was established during the second half of the 19th century with last known Orthodox Jewish burials in 1968 and 1969. The isolated urban flat land has a sign or marker in Polish and Hebrew mentioning Jews and the Holocaust. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. A masonry wall and locking gate surrounds. The approximate size of before WWII and now is 3.19 ha. 100 and 500 gravestones, all in original positions with 50-75% toppled or broken, date from the 19th-20th centuries. The cemetery is not divided into sections. The marble, granite, sandstone and concrete finely smoothed and inscribed stones or flat stones with carved relief decoration have Hebrew and Polish inscriptions. The cemetery contains monuments to Holocaust victims, marked and unmarked mass graves, and an ohel. The cemetery used as a Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are commercial or industrial, agricultural and residential. Occasionally, organized Jewish groups and private visitors stop. The cemetery was vandalized but not in the last ten years. Jewish individuals and groups from abroad re-erected stones, cleared vegetation, fixed wall and gate 1989 thorugh 1991. Contributions from visitors and Leo Getterer Foundation pay regular caretaker. (see above address). Weather erosion and vegetation are moderate threats. Vegetation is a seasonal problem preventing access. Pollution is a slight threat.

Piotr Antoniak ul. Dobra 5m 36, 05-800 Praszkow (see Bobowa) completed survey on 9/4/1992 after a visit on 8/28/1992. Andrzej Swierczek (see above) was interviewed.

Miriam Weiner reports that there were 25,000 burials in this cemetery. See Poland Introduction.

The cemetery appeared to be in remarkably good condition. Mostly all of the tombstones were upright. Monuments to the Holocaust and ohels were in also in good condition. Grass and ground vegetation was generally under control. There was no graffiti on the cemetery walls or on the tombstones. Source: Leonard Markowitz; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it [date?]

BOOK: Gruber, Ruth Ellen. Jewish Heritage Travel A Guide to East-Central Europe. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1992. p. 77