Palatinate Jewish Community Collection

Photocopies, clippings, and some original documents pertaining to the history of Jewish communities in the Palatinate, from the 18th to 19th century. The following communities are mentioned in this collection: Altenhof, Aschbach, Babensheim, Biedesheim, Breunigweiler, Essingen, Essweiler, Germersheim, Glan-Münchweiler, Hefersweiler, Hinzweiler, Ingenheim, Kaiserslautern, Koblenz, Kusel, Mainz, Mannheim, Münsterappel, Nuremberg, Odenbach, Oppenheim, Rülzheim, Sembach, and Würzburg.

Folder one contains photocopies of circulars regarding the legal status of Jewish communities in the Palatinate, photographs of pages from Karl Theodor's "Erläuterung der Concession für die Land-Judenschafft in der Pfalz," Hermann Arnold's article "Familiennamen der Juden in der Pfalz," and typed transcriptions of 1808 community member registers from various towns. Also included is an original letter (circular) from the district Rabbi Adolf Salvendi about the Jewish-religious states in the Palatinate. In folder two are lists of the Gestapo with the names, addresses, birthplaces and birthdates of Jews in the Palatinate. Folder three consists of a letter from Mayor Hans Buch and a compendium with articles and clippings by local historian Roland Paul, pertaining to the history of Jews in the Palatinate, specifically about Kristallnacht, emigration and deportations.

The memorbuch is from the 18th century and includes a prayer for the prince, Kurfürst von Pfalz-Bayern Karl Theodor (1733-1799). Mostly in Hebrew with some German, the remaining content includes handwritten transcriptions and color illustrations related to communities in Babensheim, Germersheim, Koblenz, Mainz, Nuremberg, Oppenheim, and Würzburg.