folieske4
A pitty that we tried to visit this former whent it was closed. As it houses the library the opening hours were in the evening. Most likely we would not have seen much preserved of the former synagogue... Already in 1330 Jews lived in Bad Sobernheim. During the persecution in the plague period in 1348 Jews were murdered in this town. In 1384 Jews again residing in the city were mentioned. First half 15th century four Jewish families lived in town (money lenders). In 1418 Jewish families paid 10 guilder annual tax, poor Jews 4 paid gulden. In 1429 Bad Sobernheim Jews, together with other Jews, were taken captive, they were not expelled, but in the 16th century no Jews resided in Bad Sobernheim. 19th-20th Century amongst the Jews were occupational live stock traders, butcher, merchants for textiles and agricultural products, shoemaker, leather merchant, shopkeeper and stockings manufacturer (Marum stocking factory). There was a synagogue, a school, a ritual bath and a cemetery. 1858 Ordination of the Synagogue. By the effects of the economic boycott, the increasing repression and the lawlessness the Jewish population decreased by migration and emigration. In 1938 Kristallnacht (night of the breaking glass), there were only 45 Jews left, their synagogue was damaged and desecrated, the last 12 Jewish inhabitants of Bad Sobernheim were deported in 1942. In 1939 the synagogue was sold to the city to serve as Aula for the high school, during WW II it was used as Wehrmacht warehouse, subsequently sold to shop Schmidt to serve as a furniture warehouse, afterwards it served as beverages hall. In 2001 purchased by the city, in 2003 after 65 years a prayer service was held again in the former synagoge. Present it serves as library / meeting centre.
