need a local in unkraine to do a cemetary photo shoot.

July 26, 2006 3:37 PM

Help me find someone in ukraine that would take pictures of old tombstones in a small town.

I am trying to get information about my great great grandparents. from people I have spoken to, the cemetary was not destroyed by the Nazis and should be in decent shape.

Help me find someone somehow that can go and take pictures of the gravestones (they are in hebrew, so I would not expect him to be able to read them) in the town. I'd pay of course.

The Town is Storozhinets/ Strojonet in Ukraine
48°10' / 25°43'
“Storozynetz - Bukowina"
[http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/storojinet/about_storojinet.htm]

posted by Izzmeister to Grab Bag (8 answers total)

Response by poster: about_storojinet.htm- linky
posted by Izzmeister at 3:39 PM on July 26, 2006

There's a phone number associated with the cemetery on JewishGen's Cemetery Project page for the town (look for "STOROZYNETZ"), but it's over ten years old. It might be worth a shot calling that number. (Also note that the Yizkor [memorial] book for the town says that the Jewish cemetery was in "terrible" shape after the war. Are you sure there's something there to photograph?)

I'll ask around at work tomorrow to see if anybody has any other suggestions. Good luck!
posted by arco at 4:14 PM on July 26, 2006

Best answer: I answered by own question about whether or not there are any tombstones left to photograph. You may want to contact the person who maintains that site (Haim Cohen; e-mail is on the first link in this comment), or the people mentioned on this page.
posted by arco at 4:48 PM on July 26, 2006

My great-great-grandparents were also from that town, so if you do find someone to take photos, please let me know! Unfortunately, almost no birth/marriage/death records from the town from the 19th Century survived, so the cemetery may be all we have...
posted by Asparagirl at 5:23 PM on July 26, 2006

Response by poster: I didn't think of calling the cemetary; I'll get someone that speaks russian to call for me...

i have emailed and spoken to the other individucals mentioned so far...

I am thinkiing that it would be ina sense, easier, to find a young, internet savvy or english speaking person in that part of ukraine through an askme then through the town...

I found a local bank branch on the net in that town which i will persue as well.

Haim Cohen is the one that told me the cemetary is decent...
posted by Izzmeister at 5:57 PM on July 26, 2006

Best answer: College students? Here is a list of universities in the nearest large city the page you linked to gives. This is the home page of Chernivitsi State University, and they have an English department. They might have students or faculty from Storozhinets, and either way they will probably speak English so you don't need someone else to communicate for you. (There is also a phone number.)
posted by posadnitsa at 6:45 PM on July 26, 2006

Response by poster: posadnitsa, thanks alot!! ill try that!! great idea and linkys!
posted by Izzmeister at 9:14 PM on July 26, 2006

Maybe google for an art gallery somewhere near by: they will probably know a photographer or three. A local history museum might well already have photographs btw.
posted by londongeezer at 6:23 AM on July 27, 2006