10 June 2013

Ustechko and Tovste, 9 June 2013

If one visits Ustechko and Tovste to learn about current Jewish life, heritage, and experience, one will likely be disappointed. There are no jewish people currently living in either location and few remnants of pre-Holocaust Jewish life. The current residents, however, were helpful and tried to point out locations of interest.


When we arrived in Ustechko most people were at the Greek Catholic Saint Paraskebiya Church, built in 1881.


The scenic town sits nestled along the Dniester River.


The two main roads run roughly parallel to the river. We explored them while waiting for the church service to end. There are numerous old homes from the Hapsburg era that might have been in the town when my Wenkert relatives were likely here.


After church let out we talked with some people who were able to confirm Svetlana's suspicions that Jewish homes were once near the church (the market center of town). Unfortunately, little remained. A small wooded area devoid of buildings was identified as an area that once had Jewish homes and businesses.


We were told that this house across the street had been sold in 1947 by a Jewish family. It is currently being renovated. 


A few doors down, an uninhabited former Jewish home was for sale.


The Germans burned the synagogue to the ground during the War, but we saw its former location. The homeowner said that they had chosen not to build their home on the spot, but rather kept it for potato cultivation.


We sought the cemetery and were directed to an area on the far west side of the village overlooking the Dniester River. If there were any stones, they are under dense vegetation. We did not see any remnants. We were told that the cemetery was under the bushes on the right side of this photo.



My interest in Tovste (aka Tluste) was principally to see the cemetery and murder site. My family research has not turned up any Tovste residents, however, Torskie/Zaliszczyki relatives (Jutte Wenkert Barath, her husband Moshe and two children) were held in the Tovste ghetto. Jutte and Moshe were shot with many others on the cemetery grounds.

Unlike the other cemeteries I've seen thus far, the Tovste Cemetery has many stones in fairly good condition. There is also a memorial to those murdered here.



In honor of my cousin Sally Barath Eisner who escaped death in Tovste and in memory of her parents, Jutte and Moses, Katherine and I recited the mourner's kaddish.

16 comments:

  1. Emily,
    I recently sent a rather long message and think I messed up at the end because of the profile. Can you let me know if you received it? You can reach me through JewishGen Family Finder searching for Eisner from Buryakovka Sally Eisner was married to my cousin Leon.
    Best regards,
    Dena Abrams

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dena,
    Wow. So glad you made contact (any way you could). I did not receive any previous message. Got your JGFF message and I have sent you an email.

    Emily

    ReplyDelete
  3. Did you look on the other side of the bushes? A picture located at http://sowiniec.com.pl/zbiory/18052a.jpg shows the denister on the opposite side of the photo as you, but the town is definately ustechko.

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  4. I climbed all over the hill and around the bushes. There were no stones like these. How long ago was this photo taken and what is this website? (and who are you?)

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  5. I don't know when this picture was taken. The description says "Okopisko Jewish Uścieczku.
    (Photo Winter, from the collection of Thomas Rudziewicz gift H. Carpenter-Chałupkowej, Cracow 1985)." but the picture looks much older. Also this cemetery looks like it is much closer to the Dniester than the picture you posted.

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  6. The slope on which the cemetery may have been located is immediately adjacent to the Dniester. So, I think, if the photo is of the Ustechko cemetery, that we were probably in the same place. Please send me an email: gilah(at)cox(dot)net

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  7. Do you know anything about the Pohrille family from Ustechko? I am a relative of the family. Rabbi Chaim Porille officiated at the wedding of my grandparents. His father's name was Elimeilech Pohrille.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for writing. I'm afraid I have not come across that name in my research. I have noticed that there are people researching families with the Pohrille (and various spellings) on JewishGen.

      Delete
    2. I'm a Porille descendant. I'd love to share what I know of the family. I'd appreciate a pic of the wedding ketuba with Rabbi Chaim's signature.

      Delete
    3. Thanks for reading (and writing). I do not know if the first anonymous writer is still paying attention. If s/he is, perhaps s/he will get back to you on this. I will be on the lookout for that name as I continue my research.

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    4. To anonymous on august 6. I do not have a picture of the ketuba with Rabbi Chaim Porille's signature, but I can try to get one. Can you please share what you about the Porille Family in the comments?

      Delete
  8. I am researching my family from Ustechko - Eth - I saw a picture on your blog of a record for Abraham Eth. Did you by any chance take any additional pictures of records for Eth while you were in Ustechko?

    Fran Eth

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  9. Hi Emily, first sorry if this is a duplicate. I am researching the my family from Ustechko - "Eth." I noticed you had a photo of a record for "Abraham Eth." I am wondering if by any chance you took photos of other records for "Eth" while you were in Ustechko? I understand you are researching your family for "Ett" in the same town. Interesting.

    Fran Eth

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    Replies
    1. Oh, my! We have to talk. I believe that Eth and Ett are the same name. Contact me via email: gilah(at)cox(dot)net

      Delete
  10. My father, Emanuel Weiner, lived in Ustechko. His parents were Shimon and Sarah. He is still alive at 85!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please contact me at the email address listed above. I would love to talk with you and your father.

      Delete

Comments on posts are always welcome but will be approved before posting. I actually prefer to just let people comment without going through this rigmarole, but I've recently had to delete some posts that I had not vetted before publication. So, please don't be offended. I love to hear from you!