History of the Jews in Alsace
The history of the Jews in Alsace is one of the oldest in Europe. It was first attested to in 1165 by Benjamin of Tudela, who wrote about a "large number of learned men" in "Astransbourg"; and it is assumed that it dates back to around the year 1000. Although Jewish life in Alsace was often disrupted by outbreaks of pogroms, at least during the Middle Ages, and reined in by harsh restrictions on business and movement, it has had a continuous existence ever since it was first recorded. At its peak, in 1870, the Jewish community of Alsace numbered 35,000 people.
A stone plaque commemorating a donation to a synagogue in Strasbourg in the 12th century
A kettle full of Jews (with white, pointed hats) burning in hell, an illustration from the 12th century Hortus deliciarum
Degradation of Alfred Dreyfus, January 5, 1895
Synagogue du Quai Kléber, Strasbourg, inaugurated in 1898, burnt and razed by the Nazis in 1940–1941
Alsace is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In January 2021, it had a population of 1,919,745. Alsatian culture is characterized by a blend of German and French influences.
Image: Pano.cernay
Image: Colmar (32350846618)
Image: Absolute cathedrale vue quais 01
Image: Château de Hohenbourg
