Schluechtern
General information: First Jewish presence: 13th century; peak Jewish population: 382 in 1905; Jewish population in 1933: unknown
Summary: Records from the 13th century describe a cemetery in
Schluechtern in which 34 Jews from the neighboring city
of Fulda were buried. During the 17th century, refugees from
Hungary and Spain formed a community there; records tell
us that it numbered 105 members by 1776. The Jewish
community flourished towards the end of the 19th century,
reaching its peak, of 382 persons, in 1905. In 1898, when the old synagogue (built in 1670) was
no longer able to accommodate the congregation, the
community inaugurated a new synagogue; the architectural
style was Byzantine, and the building accommodated 300
worshipers. Local Jews also maintained a Jewish elementary
school for some 80 children, as well as a ritual bath and
a cemetery. In Schluechtern—the city was home to a
rabbinate—the teacher of religion served as shochet and
chazzan. The congregation was Orthodox.
The Jews of Schluechtern engaged in many businesses.
In 1933, approximately 100 Jews left the city, most for
larger cities, some for the United States. The community
suffered great losses during Pogrom Night: the interior of the
synagogue was wrecked, the ritual articles were destroyed and
Jewish homes were looted. Thanks to the intervention of the
fire department’s chief, the synagogue exterior was left intact.
At least 51 Schluechtern Jews died in the Shoah.
In 1949, memorial stones were unveiled at the
cemetery, bearing the names of 120 murdered Jews from the Schluechtern district. Although the former synagogue
building was again used as a prayer hall after the war, it was
converted into a clothing factory in 1950. Later declared a
protected monument, the site now serves as a cultural center;
there, a memorial plaque commemorates the destroyed
synagogue and its 358 congregants.

Photo: The synagogue of Schluechtern in 1930. Courtesy of: Town Archive of Schluechtern.
Author / Sources: Fred Gottlieb
Sources: AJ, EJL, LJG
Sources: AJ, EJL, LJG
Located in: hesse