Polohy Jewish Cemetery
Cemetery Information
Historical overview
The exact period of the cemetery’s establishment is unknown. Given that the oldest preserved tombstone dates to the mid 20th century, it can be gathered the Jewish sector was founded in that era. It cannot be found marked on old maps of the region.
Polohy (Ukr., Rus. Пологи, in 1933–38 Chubarivka, Ukr. Чубарівка, Rus. Чубарёвка) was established in the late 19th century when a railroad was built in the area. It is likely that Jews were among the first settlers. Polina Zhemchuzhina (Perl Krasovskaya, 1897–1910), a Soviet politician and the wife of the Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov, was born in Polohy. During the Soviet period, the Jewish population decreased from 706 in 1926 to 416 in 1939 (3% of the total population). After the Germans arrived in October 1941, most of the Jews who remained in Polohy were killed in the winter of 1941–42. According to the 2001 census, there were 12 Jews in Polohy and the neighbouring areas.
It is not known when exactly the cemetery was founded. The only remaining traditional-style gravetone, dating to 1910, is now at the local museum.