Glehn
General information: First Jewish presence: 14th century; peak Jewish population: 78 in 1866; Jewish population in 1933: unknown (35 in 1935)
Summary:
Glehn was home to a Judengasse (“Jews’ Alley”) as early as
1393, but it was only at the beginning of the 18th century
that a continuous Jewish presence was established there. The
Jewish community of Glehn was affiliated with that of Neuss.
The community’s first synagogue was in use from 1716
until 1816 (perhaps later). With the help of private donations
and support from the municipality, a new synagogue was
erected on the corner of Schuetzendelle and Bachstrasse
in 1879. Burials were conducted in Liedberg until 1861,
when the struggling community was given a burial site on
present-day Bendstrasse, just outside Glehn. The last burial
took place there in 1935; in all, 28 tombstones have been
preserved.
On Pogrom Night, SA men vandalized and looted all
Jewish shops and homes. After breaking down the synagogue
door, the rioters destroyed the interior and stole the ritual
objects. In 1939, the two main perpetrators of the violence
were sentenced to 10 months in jail.
Several Jewish families emigrated; others were deported
to the East. At least 15 Glehn Jews perished in the Shoah.
Severely damaged during an air raid in 1943, the
synagogue was later (during the 1950s) converted into an
apartment building for German refugees. A memorial plaque
has been unveiled at 2 Schuetzendelle.
Author / Sources: Beate Grosz-Wenker
Sources: EJL, PK-NRW, SG-NRW, SIA, YV
Sources: EJL, PK-NRW, SG-NRW, SIA, YV
Located in: north-rhine-westphalia