Cuxhaven, Germany

Cuxhaven, Hamburg, Germany. Cuxhaven sprang from a mid-18th cent, settlement at Ritzebuettel, at the mouth of the Elbe River. In 1797, the Jews here established a community, dedicated a synagogue in 1816, and by 1820 numbered 108 (over 2% of the total). Calls to end Jewish business competition (1752-1828) were rejected by the local authorities. Following emancipation in 1849, many Jews emigrated and their number dwindled to 29 in 1880. In 1907, a naval base, seaside hotels, and a fishing industry led to the development of Cuxhaven as a new German seaport. Local antisemitism restricted the growth of the Jewish population, which again declined—from 59 in 1919 to about 40 in 1933. For religious life, Jews relied on the Hamburg and Bremerhaven communities. Nazi persecution and the synagogue's demolition on 20 September 1933 drove 27 Jews to leave before Kristallnacht (9-10 November 1938). Eleven others followed (1939-40). Eighteen Jews emigrated. At least ten who remained in Germany were deported. Only two survived the Holocaust.