Meisenheim am Glan

Summary: Although Jews were expelled from Meisenheim am Glan in 1569, another Jewish presence was established there in the mid-17th century. The community opened a prayer hall on Wagnergasse in 1787, a synagogue on Lauergasse in 1808 and, finally, a new synagogue at 3 Saarstrasse in 1866. The new house of worship, an impressive structure with a seating capacity of 160, housed a Jewish school and a community center. Local Jews also maintained a mikveh and a Jewish elementary school (1826-1890), the latter of which was presided over by schoolteacher Benjamin Unrich from 1837 until 1887. The Jewish cemetery, consecrated in 1725, was enlarged in 1859. In 1933, six children studied religion with a teacher from Sobernheim. A Jewish women’s association was active in the community. On Pogrom Night, the synagogue’s doors, windows and interior were destroyed; Jewish men were arrested, and one man was sent to Dachau. The municipality appropriated the synagogue building in 1940, after which it was used for industrial purposes and as a storage site. On October 22, 1940, Meisenheim’s remaining Jews (approximately eight people) were deported to Gurs, France. At least 30 local Jews perished in the Shoah. The former synagogue—it was designated as a historical monument in 1982—was later acquired by a local society and in 1988 reopened as a cultural center; an exhibition and a commemorative plaque have been established there. In 1997, the building was placed under the protection of the Hague Convention for the protection of cultural property.

Author / Sources: Heidemarie Wawrzyn
Sources: AJ, EJL, FJW, SG-RPS, SIA
www.meisenheim.de