New interest in the Jewish heritage: Information event in Frankenthal

New interest in the Jewish heritage: Information event in Frankenthal

The support association for Jewish commemoration in Frankenthal is the focus of an important initiative to preserve Jewish history in the region. In the past few months, the association has not only won new members, but also plans an information event. On Thursday, April 10th, at 6 p.m., the topic "Sources on the History of Jews in Frankenthal" will be dealt with in the foyer of the Dathenushaus (Kanalstraße 4). Herbert Baum, a committed member of the association, reports on an increasing interest in lectures and tours that should contribute to education about the rich but often overlooked Jewish history of the city, such as rheinpfalz.de

As part of his efforts, a member of the association has already recorded around 560 index cards digitally that have documented the data from Jews in Frankenthal since around 1820. This extensive database is a valuable source to keep the past of the Jewish community alive in the city. In addition, around 200 gravestones have been photographed on the two Jewish cemeteries since 1995 and their inscriptions documented digitally. This documentation has contributed significantly to the detection of additional relationships in the history of the Jews in Frankenthal.

historical context of the Jewish community

The history of the Jews in Germany is long and complex and goes back over 1700 years. Jews already lived in ancient times in the Roman province of Germania Inferior, where their legal position in the Roman period was relatively secure. However, access to public office was often limited, but with Emperor Septimius Severus and Caracalla, Jews received the right to hold public office. From the 10th century, the Jewish population in Germany grew significantly. The inclusion of Jews in different social classes brought about economic flowering times and severe persecution, which were particularly visible during the crusades and the plague, so reports wikipedia.org .

The beginnings of the Jewish communities in Germany are closely linked to the history of the regional cities. In Frankenthal, Jews probably started trading in the protection of the monastery district from the middle of the 16th century. The Frankenthal City Archives documents numerous documents and documents from different centuries that contribute to researching this story. Frankenthal has become an important industrial center in recent centuries, and the Jewish community played an essential role.

the current situation and outlook

In recent years, the security situation for Jews in Germany has intensified, especially after Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. This has led to an increase in anti -Semitic incidents, which undermines the feeling of security of the Jewish population. Despite these challenges, the Jewish community in Germany experienced an upswing: from the 1990s there was a revival due to immigration from Eastern Europe and Israel. In 2020 around 95,000 Jews, organized in 104 municipalities, lived Juden-in-frankenthal.de .

The sponsoring association for Jewish commemoration in Frankenthal has set itself the task of preserving this story and passing on to future generations. The upcoming information event is the first step to raise awareness of the city's Jewish past and to meet the interests of the new members. It remains to be hoped that the association will continue to be successful in the importance of Jewish historiography and that the legacy of this community in the region secures in the long term.