Langerwehe

Summary: The Jews of Langerwehe conducted religious services in the community shochet’s home at 123 Hauptstrasse; in 1874, the house was enlarged to accommodate a modest synagogue with a women’s balcony and separate entrances for men and women. A Jewish cemetery was located on the outskirts of town. The Langerwehe Jews belonged to the regional Jewish community of Dueren. Jews from nearby towns attended the Hauptstrasse synagogue, and in 1828 Langerwehe became Dueren’s largest Jewish congregation. In Langerwehe, local Jews were known for organizing charitable activities that benefited the entire town. On Pogrom Night, rioters destroyed the synagogue’s interior, tearing down the gallery and looting furniture and its other contents. The building was forcibly sold a few months after the pogrom; destroyed by artillery fire during the war, it was later rebuilt. At least 22 Langerwehe Jews perished in the camps. A memorial plaque was unveiled in the town in 1999.

Author / Sources: Ruth Martina Trucks
Sources: EJL, LJG, SG-NRW