Pinkas Hakehillot Germany: Meerholz, Germany

“Meerholz”
Encyclopaedia of Jewish Communities:
Germany volume 3
(Germany)
50°11' / 09°08'

Translation from Pinkas ha-kehilot Germanyah

Published in Jerusalem, 1992

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This is a translation from: Pinkas Hakehillot: Encyclopaedia of Jewish Communities, Germany
Volume 3, pages 510, published by Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, 1992

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[Page 510]

Meerholz, Germany
(a village, today a part of the
city of Gelnhausen in the region of Main-Kinzig)

Translated by Jerrold Landau

Year Number of
Residents Number
of Jews Percent
Jewish

1790 534 93 17.4

1835 117

1850 798 110 13.8

1861 891 99 11.1

1871 900 110 12.2

1885 824 84 10.2

1905 874 67 7.7

1925 986 55 5.6

1933 1,004 32 3.3

Religious Affiliation by Percentage in the year 1925

Jews	Catholics	Protestants	Others
5.6	3.6	90.5	0.3

History of the Community

Jews lived in Meerholz in 1683, and during the 18^th century, there was a cheder for the children of Meerholz and the communities of Niedergrundau, Rothenbergen, Roth and Lieblos (see their entries). In the middle of the18th century, the Jews of these villages seceded and formed their own community in Lieblos.

The community of Meerholz had an elementary school. In 1855, 40 Jews of Meerholz, Niedermittlau (22 people in 1885^[1]), Neuenhasslau, Hailer and Somborn (see entries) studied there. 22 students remained about ten years later. In 1873, there were 30, in 1901 – 13, and in 1921 – 6. In 1873, the school moved from its old, dilapidated building to a new building, through the efforts of the teacher Immanuel Neu (1847-1874). After him, Shmuel Birk (1838-1929) served as the teacher, cantor and shochet (ritual slaughterer). He retired on pension in 1908. The school was closed in 1926, and the Jewish teacher served only as a religion teacher.

During the time of the Weimar Republic, four of the Jews of Meerholz owned textile shops, and the rest were – cattle traders, butchers (2), a baker, and several pensioners. The grain merchant Leo Stern owned horse stables, the only truck in the region, and a private car driven by a driver. The horse merchant Ferdinand Stern was also among the wealthy people of the town. 55 local Jews lived in 18 houses, most of them on two streets.

The community of Meerholz had a synagogue and mikva (ritual bath), and conducted kosher slaughter. The plan to reopen the school in 1932 did not come to fruition because of the change of regime. At that time, four children studied religious studies from the teacher, cantor and shochet Leopold Strauss. The head of the community was the baker Leopold Perlsheim, and the head of the “Central Union” chapter in Meerholz was Leo Stern. The community belonged to the regional rabbinate of Hanau. Three families (13 souls ) from Niedermittlau, where the regional Jewish cemetery was located, were part of the community.

Under Nazi Rule

The window panes of the Jewish homes were shattered in September 1934, and in October the brothers Peretz and Michael Perlsheim were sentenced to imprisonment. The cemetery in Niedermittlau was desecrated in 1935 and again in 1938. Most of the Jews left Meerholz within a few years. In 1937, nine Jewish families remained, and the head of the community Leo Stern sold the synagogue. The holy objects were brought to Frankfurt.

No Jews were left in the city in 1939. 13 members of the community immigrated to the United States, a few went to Holland, and the rest moved to other cities in Germany.

The synagogue was demolished in the 1960s, and residential dwellings were built in its place. The school building also serves as residential dwellings today. Today, the cemetery in Niedermittlau (3,211 square meters) is located in the bounds of the towns of Hasselroth.

Translator's Footnotes

Seemingly referring to the Jewish population rather than the number of students. Return

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Year	Number of Residents	Number of Jews	Percent Jewish
1790	534	93	17.4
1835		117
1850	798	110	13.8
1861	891	99	11.1
1871	900	110	12.2
1885	824	84	10.2
1905	874	67	7.7
1925	986	55	5.6
1933	1,004	32	3.3