Museum of the History of Jews in the Ostalb Region in the Former Synagogue in Bopfingen-Oberdorf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Museum of the History of Jews in the Ostalb Region in the former synagogue in Bopfingen-Oberdorf Felix Sutschek - Bernhard Hildebrand Catalog Foreword When we founded the Support Association for Von Weizsäcker’s statement provided both the Regarding the contents of the museum, I should the former synagogue in Oberdorf in 1989, our motivation and guiding principle for our Sup- like to draw attention to a few especially impor- first major task was to purchase the building, port Association when designing and furnishing tant areas: at the time used as a store for tools and equip- the Museum of the History of Jews in the Ostalb ment, and then to refurbish the synagogue as Region in the former synagogue in Oberdorf. Peaceful coexistence of Jews and Christians in a memorial and meeting place. With substan- The Museum was opened in the autumn of East Württemberg prior to the Nazi tyranny tial assistance from the Ostalb District Coun- 1997. However, apart from tours conducted by cil, the State of Baden-Württemberg, Bopfin- knowledgeable guides, we were only able to offer The presentation of the history of Jews in our gen Town Council, and generous donations the many interested visitors to the museum leaf- area shows that Christians and Jews in Ober- from our members and friends, we were able to lets giving brief inform ation about the Synago- dorf as well as other nearby towns and villages restore the synagogue, built by the Jewish com- gue, the Support Association, and the Museum. with Jewish populations, with few isolated ex- Imprint munity in 1744, to its former dignity and to The compre hensive museum catalog that we en- ceptions, lived and worked peacefully together some extent to its original beauty. visaged at that time had to be postponed, becau- over many generations. Museum of the History of Jews in the Ostalb Region se the association was entirely dependent on do- in the former synagogue in Bopfingen-Oberdorf The Memorial and Meeting Place in the for- nations and membership subscriptions and there From the enactment of equal rights in the mid- mer synagogue was opened in November 1993. was simply not enough money available. nineteenth century, there were Jews in many Catalog Since then many thousands of people have visi- professions including judges, prosecutors, at- ted the former synagogue, among them many Thanks to generous donations, among others torneys, doctors, members of parliament and Published by the Trägerverein ehemalige Synagoge Oberdorf e.V., young people and numerous relatives of Jews from the Ellwangen Rotary Club and the Lions town councilors. As full German citizens Jews Chairman: Dr. Diethelm Winter who once lived in Oberdorf from the USA, Is- Club Ostalb-Ipf and Aalen, we are delighted played their part in the successful development rael and Great Britain. that we are now able to realize our long-term of East Württemberg. Original text: project of a “Museum Catalog”. Felix Sutschek M. A. In his memorable speech on the 40th anni- The Museum in Oberdorf is a museum for Dr. Bernhard Hildebrand versary of the end of the Second World War, Years ago Felix Sutschek M.A. and Dr. Bern- the whole Ostalb Region Richard von Weizsäcker made the follow- hard Hildebrand established and developed the Translation: ing statement: “It is not a matter of coming to Museum of the History of Jews in the Ostalb With individual displays concerning the histo- John Saniter, B.Sc., C.Eng. terms with the past, that is in no way possible, Region in the former synagogue in Oberdorf, ry of the Jewish communities in Ellwangen, it cannot be changed in retrospect or undone. on the basis of very careful research into local Schwäbisch Gmünd, Lauchheim and Pflaum- Proofreading: But anyone who closes their eyes to the past will Jewish history. Through their commitment and loch, the Oberdorf Museum reaches out far be- Richard von der Heyde, Hadwiga Micheli end up blind to the present. Those who cannot numerous activities, they have long been closely yond just the presentation of the immediate lo- face remembering inhumanity will be suscepti- associated with our Support Association. Now cal history. Layout and design: ble to new risks of infection. The Jewish people they are also the competent authors of our mu- Dr. Bernhard Hildebrand remember and will always remember. As human seum catalog. Moving memorials to victims of the Nazi beings we seek reconciliation. And for precisely regime First published in German 2004 this reason we must understand that there can Our relatively small museum has a great deal to Published in English 2013 be no reconciliation without remembrance.” offer, which many visitors over the years have Panels in the museum record the names of experienced as interesting, inspiring and mo- the men, women and children who were de- ISBN 3-00-013584-7 ving. The new museum catalog can now be ported from Oberdorf to concentration camps used to advantage to prepare, accompany and in Riga, Izbica, Auschwitz and Theresienstadt Printed in Germany Supported ba the Kreisparkasse Ostalb review visits to the museum. in the years 1941/42, and murdered there. 3 Contents For their relatives, and for those of us who donations. We hope that the new Museum History of the Jews in the Ostalb Region 7 remember them and do not want to forget, it Catalog will be equally well received by our is important that all those who have no final members, friends and the many visitors to the Catalog resting place now have, in the list of their first museum. The catalog seeks to inform as well and family names, their date of birth, and as as to encourage reflection on the causes and Former synagogue in Oberdorf 18 far as is known the date and place of their de- effects of anti-Semitism, and to strengthen the Inscriptions of the former synagogue in Oberdorf 20 ath, a place of honor for all time in the Memo- efforts of many people to engage personally in Torah scrolls of the synagogue in Oberdorf 22 rial and Meeting Place in the former synago- the fight against all forms of anti-Semitism. Jews in Germany 24 gue in Oberdorf. Jews in the imperial towns 25 Dr. Diethelm Winter Jews in the County of Oettingen 26 Heimann Torah scroll returned to its place of Retired Head of the District Administration The First protected Jews in Oberdorf 28 origin Chairman of the Support Association Jewish community in Oberdorf 30 2. Display cabinet showing Jewish history Jewish community in the 19th and 20th centuries 34 The objects in the museum that stem from the Organization of the Jewish community 36 old Oberdorf synagogue have great spiritual House of eternity: The Jewish cemetery 38 value. They were rescued from destruction on The Jewish population 40 11 November 1938 by the courageous actions Commerce – Trade – Industry 42 of both Jews and Christians alike, when the in- Oberdorf personalities 44 terior was ransacked by SA thugs from outside German Jews in World War I 46 the town. The Third Reich 48 Oberdorf in the Third Reich 50 Of the 17 Torah scrolls in the old synagogue, Boycott 51 the Heimann Torah is the only one known Protective custody 52 to have survived. Karl Heiman donated this Occupational ban – Dissolution of the community 53 Torah scroll to us. It accompanied his family Murder – Emigration 54 when they fled Germany in 1939. Thus in our Deportation and extermination 56 museum it takes pride of place as a link bet- 3. View of the interior Victims 58 ween the old Jewish place of worship and our Traces of Jewish history in the Ostalb region 62 Memorial and Meeting Place in the refurbis- Jewish community in Aufhausen 64 hed former synagogue. Jewish community in Ellwangen 66 Jewish community in Schwäbisch Gmünd 67 I should like to thank Felix Sutschek M.A., Jewish community in Lauchheim 68 Cultural Affairs’ Officer, and Dr. Bernhard Jewish community in Pflaumloch 70 Hildebrand, District Archivist, for this very in- teresting and attractive Museum Catalog; my Appendix thanks also to Konrad Theiss and the Ellwan- gen Rotary Club for taking the initiative and Photo credits 73 financially supporting this successful project, References 74 to the Lions Club Ostalb-Ipf and Aalen, and to Display cabinet with religious artifacts 75 Torsten Gaiser of Gaiser Offsetdruck for their 1. Display cabinet in the museum 4. Torah scroll and religious artifacts Eternal light 76 4 5 History of the Jews in the Ostalb Region Felix Sutschek First Jewish settlements in the Middle Ages Situation of the Jews from the 11th to 16th or was accompanied, of course, by the personal centuries obligation to pay the emperor a sum of mo- Jews have been living in the German area lon- ney for this protection. When money was short ger than in any other part of Europe with the In many newly founded towns in the 11th and these revenues from the Jews’ seignorage could exception of Italy. Jews were first mentioned in 12th centuries Jews were welcome. Above all be ceded by the emperor to towns or local ru- Germany in a letter from Emperor Constan- merchants’ families were readily admitted be- lers. Thus the Jews were tolerated because they tine to the then Roman town of Cologne in cause they offered the promise of links to ex- constituted an economic benefit to the owner 321 A.D. This letter decreed that Jews could be ternal trade. However doctors and pharmacists of their seignorage. They literally became “mo- admitted to the curia and the town regiment. were also welcomed. bile commodities”.6 This is the oldest document recording the exi- stence of a Jewish community in Germany.1 It A difficult time for the Jews began with the In 1342 the Wittelsbach Emperor Ludwig the is likely that at the time there were also Jewish start of the Crusades.