Linnich

General information: First Jewish presence: 1348; peak Jewish population: 149 in 1887; Jewish population in 1933: 124
Summary: Jews in Linnich conducted prayer services in a building at 12, Rurdorfer Strasse until the early 20th century. In Linnich, a Jewish private school and a Jewish elementary school were established in 1804 and 1878, respectively. In 1913, the community built an Art Nouveau synagogue—the building also housed a schoolroom, a mikveh, offices and a women’s balcony—on Nordpromenade; the inauguration ceremony was attended by city council officials and high-ranking representatives of other faiths. On Pogrom Night, SA men and local residents from Linnich and Juedlich set the synagogue on fire, destroying the building and its contents (including a precious Chair of Elijah). The Jewish cemetery was desecrated that night, and homes and shops were demolished. Jewish residents were forcibly moved into the “Villa Ruth,” where they were kept until their deportation. At least 49 Linnich Jews perished in the Shoah. A mohel’s book from the synagogue—it survived Pogrom Night—is now on display at the Jewish Museum of Frankfurt. A memorial plaque was unveiled in Linnich in 1988.
Author / Sources: Ruth Martina Trucks
Sources: EJL, LJG, SG-NRW