Neustadt an der Hardt
General information: First Jewish presence: 14th century (perhaps earlier); peak Jewish population: 397 in 1900; Jewish population in 1933: 266
Summary: The 14th-century Jewish community of Neustadt an der
Hardt was destroyed twice during the 1340s: after a blood
libel allegation (in 1343) and during the Black Death
pogroms (of 1348/49). Jews later resettled there, but it was
not until the 19th century that the community experienced
significant growth.
In 1764, Neustadt’s existing synagogue was replaced by
a new synagogue on Hintergasse. Later, in 1867, by which
point the Hintergasse building was unable to accommodate
the growing Jewish congregation, the Jews of Neustadt
established another house of worship on Ludwigstrasse, next
door to which they would later (in 1908) build a community
center. The community also maintained an elementary
school—it became a school for religious studies in 1830—
whose teacher served as chazzan and shochet; a residential
home for the elderly (founded in 1914); a mikveh; and a
cemetery (consecrated in 1862).
In 1933, 266 Jews lived in Neustadt. Approximately 47
children received religious instruction, and 40 elderly Jews lived
in the old-age home. Several Jewish associations and branches of
nation-wide Jewish organizations were active in the community.
On Pogrom Night, the synagogue was burned down,
as was the old-age home: two residents were killed by the
flames, and several Jewish men were sent to Dachau. In
March 1939, the municipality seized the destroyed sites,
after which the ruins were cleared.
Most Neustadt Jews left before the deportations began.
On October 22, 1940, the remaining 22 Jews were sent to
the concentration camp in Gurs, France. At least 33 Neustadt
Jews perished in the Shoah.
In 1950, a new Jewish community of Rheinland Pfalz
was founded in Neustadt. The community established an
old-age home, a prayer hall (both closed down in 1987) and
a synagogue in the city of Kaiserslautern.
A memorial stone was unveiled at the synagogue site in
1954. A new memorial stone was unveiled there in 1988 (the
older stone was moved to the Jewish cemetery.)
Author / Sources: Yehoshua Ahrens
Sources: AJ, EJL, FJW
Sources: AJ, EJL, FJW
Located in: rhineland-palatinate