Sandersleben

First Jewish presence: early 17th century; peak Jewish population: 178 in 1807; Jewish population in 1933: unknown

Although the Jews of Sandersleben were granted property rights early on, they were forbidden from engaging in handicrafts or agriculture; accordingly, most were wool and grain traders, and some later became moneylenders. The Sandersleben Jewish community, which belonged to Dessau until 1849, established a cemetery in 1730 (near Bergstrasse) and a synagogue by 1743, the latter of which later fell into disrepair, forcing the community to rent prayer halls. In 1830, however, the Jews of Sandersleben inaugurated a synagogue on the corner of Kanalstrasse and Kiethof; Duke Leopold Friedrich von Anhalt-Dessau contributed 800 Thaler to the construction of the synagogue, which seated 125 worshipers and included an elevated section for women. Although we do not know when the community’s first Jewish school closed, records do tell us that one was established in Sandersleben in the mid-18th century; Moses Philippson served as teacher from 1775 until 1814, as did Gotthold Salomon during the years 1784 to 1862. The new Jewish school, located opposite the synagogue site, was closed down in 1918. In 1932/33, the community leader was Moritz Goldstein. On Pogrom Night, the synagogue, which had been renovated in 1935, was burned down; Mr. and Mrs. Adler were arrested by the Gestapo and warned that they must leave town. At least 15 Sandersleben Jews perished in the Shoah. Rubble from the burned out synagogue was carted away during the war years, after which a new property was built on the site. The only remnant of Jewish Sandersleben is the cemetery, where one can find several intact headstones.

Esther Sarah Evans

Copyright: Pogrom Night 1938 - A Memorial to the Destroyed Synagogues of Germany/ Germansynagogues.com

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