Gerolzhofen, Germany

Jews were victims of the Rindfleisch massacres of 1298. The modern community dates from the first half of the 17th century, with a cemetery consecrated in 1639 serving seven other communities as well. A new synagogue was built in 1874. The Jewish population reached a peak of 148 in 1900 (total 2,163) and numbered 125 in 1933. On “Kristallnacht” (9 – 10 November 1938), Jews were beaten and arrested and their homes wrecked along with the synagogue. In 1933 – 41, 61 Jews emigrated from Germany, 39 of them to the U.S. Another 35 left for other German cities. On 25 April 1942, 19 Jews were deported to Izbica near Lublin via Wuerzburg; another six were sent to the Theresienstadt ghetto in September.