Metadata: Jewish Congregation
Collection
- Country:
- Germany
- Holding institution:
- Friedrichstadt Town Archive
- Holding institution (official language):
- Stadtarchiv Friedrichstadt
- Postal address:
- Stadtarchiv Friedrichstadt, Westerlilienstraße 7, 25840 Friedrichstadt
- Phone number:
- +49 4881 1511
- Web address:
- http://www.archiv-friedrichstadt.de
- Email:
- museum@friedrichstadt.de
- Reference number:
- JG
- Title:
- Jewish Congregation
- Title (official language):
- Jüdische Gemeinde
- Creator/accumulator:
- Jewish Congregation of Friedrichstadt
- Date(s):
- 1649/2011
- Language:
- German
- Extent:
- approx. 10 linear metres (130 files)
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Photographic images
- Physical condition:
- good
- Scope and content:
- The collection comprises material from and about the Jewish congregation of Friedrichstadt. It contains official material, private collections of Jewish citizens as well as newspaper clippings, photos etc., including lists of congregation members, material about elections in the congregation, files about the maintenance of the Jewish cemetery and the synagogue. The collection also includes state material, such as files formerly kept in the town administration records, e.g. about the tuition of Jewish children, general and case file material about the settlement of Jews and documents about Jewish trade and business. The collection also includes both historical and modern newspaper clippings, documenting activities in the Jewish congregation as well as remembrance. Furthermore, the collection contains historical and modern photos, showing e.g. the cemetery and the synagogue. Some of the material, especially photos, are available on CD-R in the archive.
- Archival history:
- Former town archivist Karl Michelson dedicated himself to collecting as much material about Friedrichstadt's Jewish history as possible. This collection was mostly brought together and arranged by him.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- Friedrichstadt was founded by duke Friedrich III. of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf in 1621. The foundation of the town aimed to establish a new trade post, avoiding taxation and complicated trade routes in and via Hamburg. From the beginning the founding fathers of Friedrichstadt applied a liberal religious policy, allowing various religious minorities to settle there. Thus, Remonstrants, Mennonites, Catholics, Lutherans, Unitarians and many other groups participated in the town's development. In the early years the integration of Sephardi Jews into the town community was attempted, but this blocked by Philipp IV. of Spain. From 1675 on German and Danish Jews were living in the town, with the congregation expanding in the 19th century. For centuries Friedrichstadt had one of the largest Jewish congregations in the region of Schleswig-Holstein. For about 100 years Jews were the second largest religious group in the town, making up 20% of the population. In the 20th century the congregation shrunk, with increasing antisemitism speeding the process. By the time the National Socialists destroyed the interior of the synagogue most of the Jews had already left Friedrichstadt.
- Access points: locations:
- Friedrichstadt
- Access points: persons/families:
- Abraham, Levin
- Behrens, David
- Collim, Hirsch
- Endsiek-Rave, Ute
- Heymann, Adolf
- Hirsch, Joseph
- Isaach, Israel
- Jacob, Joseph
- Levy, Hans
- Levy, Issac
- Mendel, Hirsch
- Steinsberger, Simon
- System of arrangement:
- The material in each file is arranged in chronological order.
- Access, restrictions:
- There may be restrictions in accessing newer material – please enquire about specific cases.
- Finding aids:
- A digital finding aid is available.
- Links to finding aids:
- http://www.archiv-friedrichstadt.de/juedischegemeinde.pdf
- Yerusha Network member:
- Institute for the History of German Jews
- Author of the description:
- Matthias Loeber, Bremen