In 1270 a loan to the city of Rostock was recorded. This marked the beginning of the Jewish community in Rostock. The Jüdische Gemeinde Rostock a vibrant community today boasts a history stretching back to the city’s founding in the mid-13th century.
Initially Jewish people settled in Rostock engaging in trade and finance. By 1279 they were granted a burial ground. A Jewish cemetery was established northwest of the city near the Kröpeliner Tor gate. There is no record of a synagogue at this time. Sadly the Black Death in the 14th century led to their expulsion. Jewish settlement remained forbidden in Rostock for centuries.
The second Jewish community emerged in 1868. Following the German Empire’s founding in 1871 they received permission to settle. The community thrived. By the early 20th century it comprised over 300 members. A cemetery was established and a synagogue was built in 1902 at Augustenstraße 101. Community members integrated into German society working in trade commerce and education. They joined the Central Association of German Citizens of the Jewish Faith. Sadly sixty community members fought in World War I many perished.
The Weimar Republic brought religious freedom. Many Jewish people became doctors lawyers professors and artists. The synagogue became the center of thriving community life. It included a Sunday school charitable organizations and groups for all ages. The Jüdische Gemeinde Rostock experienced a golden age.
The rise of Nazism brought persecution. A boycott of Jewish businesses began on March 30 1933. This was enforced with intimidation and violence. The Nuremberg Laws provided the legal framework for persecution. Jewish officials lost their jobs. Jewish people lost their right to vote. Doctors and lawyers were disbarred.
In 1938 the persecution escalated. Higher taxes and removal from the trade register forced business closures. The expulsion of Jewish businesses concluded in mid-1939. Thirty-seven Jews were arrested and deported to Poland on October 28 1938. The Kristallnacht pogrom on November 10 1938 saw the burning of the synagogue. SA and SS units terrorized Jewish residents. Sixty-four arrested Jews were imprisoned in Altstrelitz facing harsh conditions. The community chairman Arnold Bernhard assisted remaining Jews in emigration using proceeds from the forced sale of the synagogue land.
Most Jews fled the city some committed suicide. Seventy community members unable to leave were deported to concentration camps from 1942 to 1944. Almost all perished. The Jüdische Gemeinde Rostock ceased to exist.
After the war few Holocaust survivors chose to emigrate to Palestine. They sought to build a new Jewish state. Trust in authorities and fellow citizens was lost. A third Jewish community eventually rose after 1990. This was due to Jewish immigration from the former Soviet Union. The Jüdische Gemeinde Rostock was reborn. Today the community is housed in a building on Augustenstraße. It has a synagogue a Torah scroll and spaces for religious education and charitable work. The community’s work includes supporting Jewish immigrants. The Schamaim Cultural Centre supports the community’s cultural work. The Jüdische Gemeinde Rostock continues to thrive. It is a testament to resilience and faith.