Bottrop
General information: First Jewish presence: 1840: peak Jewish population: 225 in early 1932; Jewish population in 1933: 160
Summary:
Jewish life in Bottrop lasted for less than a century. In
1920, the community erected a makeshift synagogue in a
warehouse above a large building. As a result of an influx of
Ostjuden (Jews from Eastern Europe), the Jewish population
began to increase, necessitating the construction of a larger
synagogue. The congregation considered enlarging the
synagogue by using the vacant room next door, but a rift in
the community halted proceedings: the original members
wanted the synagogue to be reformed, whereas the newer
immigrants wanted it to remain Orthodox. Unable to reach
an agreement, the two groups split, after which the Orthodox
congregants inaugurated their own synagogue and Talmud
Torah.
By early 1933, anti-Semitism was rampant in Bottrop.
The SA organized boycotts of Jewish businesses and forced
many to close down, prompting Jews to leave the town;
many immigrated to Palestine, Belgium and the Netherlands.
On Pogrom Night, both synagogues and the cemetery were
destroyed. By the end of 1941, not a single Jew still lived
in Bottrop.
One of the synagogue sites now accommodates a furniture
warehouse. A memorial plaque has been unveiled at the
former cemetery site.
In 1980, boxes containing approximately 150 Jewish
books from the synagogue were put up for sale at an estate
auction. They were not sold and, instead, were transferred
to the Westfalle Jewish Museum in Dorsten, where they are
now on display.
Author / Sources: Moshe Finkel
Sources: LJG, SG-NRW, SIA
Sources: LJG, SG-NRW, SIA
Located in: north-rhine-westphalia