Einartshausen

Summary: The Jews of Einartshausen were largely ritual slaughterers, cattle dealers, scrap dealers, shopkeepers or real estate agents. The community maintained a synagogue, a mikveh and, between 1742 and 1936, a cemetery located on the edge of a local forest. Although a Jewish school was established in Einartshausen at some point between 1752 and 1766, the presence of a teacher was sporadic. Later, as the Jewish population began to dwindle, the community received aid from neighboring Schotten. We also know that the Jews of Einartshausen belonged to the Liberal synagogue community of Giessen. In 1924, the leaders of the community were Brodreich, Essinger and Goldschmidt. By 1933, only seven Jews lived in the town. The synagogue was heavily damaged on Pogrom Night, after which the building was remodeled in such a way as to conceal its original purpose. By May 1939, no Jews lived in Einartshausen. The synagogue building, used for commercial purposes until the new owner’s death in the 1960s, was torn down soon afterward. In 1999, the mayor of Netanya (Israel), Dr. Bar Menachem, whose mother came from Einartshausen, succeeded in persuading the authorities to unveil a memorial plaque at the former synagogue site, which now accommodates a bowling alley. At least 13 Einartshausen Jews perished in the Shoah.

Author / Sources: Esther Sarah Evans
Sources: AJ, EJL