Tag: Jewish Cemetery

Last Honour for Nazi Victim

by Terry Jones

Whilst doing some research, Terry came across a fascinating article in the Merthyr Express dated 23 June 1956. Here he has written his version of the story, and what better time to post it than day after we remember the fallen of both World Wars.

In 1937, due to the escalation of atrocities against Jewish people by the Nazi party in Germany, Stanley Baldwin, the Prime Minister, made a wireless appeal on behalf of Jewish children in Germany for British families to help them.

One of these children was 13 year old Edgar Adolf Fleischer, son of Herr Max Fleischer of Berlin. Young Edgar left his parents and embarked on one of the Kindertransport, eventually arriving in Britain in April 1938. Here he was adopted by Mr F Wallace-Hadrill, a house-master at Bromsgrove School.

A keen musician, amongst the meagre possessions that he was allowed to bring from Berlin, Edgar carried with him a small violin case, holding his most precious possession – a violin. He had actually taken a few lessons at the Berlin Conservatoire until the Nazi racial laws forbade Jews to receive such lessons. Upon arriving in Britain however, he once again pursued his musical ambitions.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, and as soon as he was old enough, Edgar wanted nothing more than to join the British armed forces and fight the hated Nazis. In 1944, having taking the necessary oaths of loyalty to Britain, and officially changing his name from Fleischer to Fletcher, he joined the Royal Army Service Corps, and soon rose to the rank of Sergeant, and was selected as a cadet for further training for a commission.

Before he could complete his training course, in the aftermath of the D-Day landings, he was posted to Normandy to reinforce the British Army’s campaign to liberate Europe.

In 1945, he returned to Britain to complete his training, the last stage of which took place at Rhayader in November 1945. With just two days until his commission was due, Edgar took part in the final exercise – an assault exercise on a steep hillside. As he reached the summit, he slipped on the shale and fell forward on to his Bren gun and was killed instantly when it discharged. The only positive from this was that he never lived to find out that both his parents had been murdered by the Nazis in one of the death camps.

Edgar Fletcher was buried with military honours at Cefn-Coed Jewish Cemetery on 24 November 1945. His headstone bears two inscriptions – one in Hebrew and one in English:

Hebrew: ‘O let his soul be bound up in the bond of life’,

English: ‘Who falling among friends shares their promised land’.

Cefn Cemetery

by Carolyn Jacob

Cefn-Ffrwd is the largest Cemetery in the Borough covering approximately 40 acres.

Cefn Cemetery in the early 1900s. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

In the nineteenth century burial was a huge problem here. In a hundred years Merthyr Tydfil grew from a Parish of just over 500 persons to the only large town in Wales with a population of over 50,000 in 1850. During the 1849 cholera outbreak there were over 1,000 deaths in one month alone. Infant mortality was high and other diseases such as smallpox and TB were rife. Not all the chapels and churches had their own burial ground and the responsibility for burial lay with the Parish Authorities.

In 1850 there were three Merthyr Tydfil Parish Burial Grounds, the Graveyard around St. Tydfil’s Church, the Cemetery in Twynyrodyn and the new so called ‘cholera’ Cemetery in Thomastown. Dowlais had two Parish cemeteries, St John’s Church and a small cholera cemetery near the Works. This was a time when cremation was unheard of, and these soon became inadequate.

The Board of Health, founded in 1850, took advantage of a new Act of 1852, which empowered them to set up Cemeteries and leased land in Breconshire to set up a new Cemetery. The Cemetery was managed by the Burial Board. The first burial took place on 16 April 1859. The Ffrwd portion of the Cemetery was added in 1905, the first burial being on 20 November 1905.

The bridge connecting the old cemetery with the new Ffrwd section during construction in 1905. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

Average burials in the nineteenth century were around 400 annually. In 1878 the son of one of the gravediggers set fire to the ‘dead-house’ of the Cefn Cemetery and a report of 21 of December 1878 described the ‘unseemly behaviour’ of children frequently climbing about the monuments of the Cemetery.  In 1902 when the road to Cardiff was widened a large section of the St Tydfil Graveyard was removed and the ‘remains’ were moved to Cefn Coed Cemetery. Those reburied included Charles Wood, who erected the first furnaces at Cyfarthfa.

Easter was a traditional time for ‘flowering the graves’ and a report in the Merthyr Express of 26 March 1916 records that:-  ‘at Cefn Cemetery on Friday and Saturday, relatives of the dead attended from long distances to clean stones and plant flowers’. 

Cefn Coed became a Municipal Cemetery for Merthyr Tydfil in 1905. Welsh Baptists were buried in unconsecrated ground and Roman Catholics in consecrated ground. There is a separate large Jewish Cemetery at Cefn Coed and there is an index to all the Jewish burials in Merthyr Tydfil Library.

There are many famous people buried in Cefn Coed Cemetery including:-

  • Enoch Morrell, first Mayor of Merthyr Tydfil and the Welsh Miners Leader who had to negotiate the return to work after the General Strike.
  • Redmond Coleman, the boxing champion of Wales at the beginning of the twentieth century.
  • Adrian Stephens, inventor of the steam whistle.
The old cemetery buildings at Cefn. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

Consecrating the Jewish Cemetery

The article transcribed below appeared in the Merthyr Express 85 years ago today – 2 November 1935.

Consecration of New Cemetery at Cefn

The new extension of the Hebrew Cemetery at Cefn Coed was formally consecrated and declared open on Sunday in the presence of a large gathering.  The new section adjoins the old portion of the cemetery, which has been in existence upwards of 70 years or so, and the ground has been prepared and greatly improved by the inclusion of concrete paths and terraces overlooking the main road to Brecon. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. E. Bloom, the minister of the local Hebrew Congregation, who referred to the fulfilment of a very necessary want in the acquisition of the plot of land which was converted into the new portion of the cemetery.  He paid a tribute to the work of the committee, and especially to Mrs. Raina Grwsener (formerly of Treharris) who had handsomely subscribed towards the project and had thus helped them to realise their ambition.

Mrs. Grwsener, in declaring the place open, said she hoped the ground would not be used for many years. It was her pleasure to render this service to the community. Mr. Sol. Freedman presented Mrs. Grwsener with a silver trowel, suitably, inscribed, on behalf of the members of Merthyr Hebrew Congregation. A reception and tea followed at the Lesser Drill Hall. Mr. Sol. Freedman, who presided, was supported by the Rev. E. Bloom, Mr. Isaac Hamilton, Mr. E. M. Cohen, Mr. A. Moscovitch, Mr. B. Shelower, Mr. Harris Schwartz, and others. The Chairman made touching reference to the recent passing away of Mr. Hermann Gittlesohn, their honourable member and one of the founders of the congregation, whose demise they all greatly deplored.  The speaker called upon the audience to stand in memory of their departed friend and co-religionist. Mr. Freedman then paid a tribute to all those who had worked so well for the noble cause, and especially  mentioned Mr. A. Moscovitch, the president of the burial society, who had devoted a considerable amount  of his time towards the supervision of the work connected with the renovation of the new cemetery.

In responding to the toast of the visitors, Mr. Elkan, Pontypridd, said the Merthyr Congregation was, without doubt, the finest in South Wales.  They had an admirable leader in the Rev. E. Bloom, who had served them so faithfully for the past 35 years.  He hoped they would all continue to prosper. Responding, Mr Isaac Hamilton (treasurer) said they had an ideal congregation and felt proud of its members.  Mrs Grwsener had done the right thing in making her gifts during her lifetime, a matter which afforded gratification to the giver when one saw the fruits of one’s endeavours.

Mr. Harris Schwartz said that as one of the promoters of the new cemetery he felt delighted to witness the completion of their efforts.  Mr. Moscovitch and others also spoke.  Mr. G. A. Swallow proposed the vote of thanks to the ladies’ committee, who had worked so ably for the cause.