Oppeln, Germany

Oppeln (Polish Opole), Upper Silesia, Germany, today Poland. A number of Jewish families were present in 1396 but there were apparently Jews here before that. The Jews were expelled several times, until settling again in the city in 1746, four years after the beginning of Prussian rule. By 1812, the Jewish population reached 48. A cemetery was consecrated in 1822 and a new synagogue was completed in 1842. The Jewish population reached a peak of 718 in 1895. In this period the community founded various welfare organization as well as a library, an historical and literary society, and a branch of the Kameraden youth movement. Leo Baeck served as rabbi in 1897-1907. During his stay he opened another synagogue and married a local woman. The Zionists, Central Union (C.V.), and B’nai B’rith were active between the world wars. In 1930, the Jewish population was 607. Right-wing nationalists and anti-Semites were particularly active in Oppeln by this time. Despite protection from the Nazi racial laws until 16 July 1937 by the League of Nations’ minority rights convention, the Jews were nonetheless subjected to persecution and economic boycott. In 1936, Jews numbered 453. On Kristallnacht (9-10 November 1938), the synagogue was burned down, 13 Jewish stores were destroyed along with the building housing the Jewish organizations, and 13 Jews were arrested. Emigration was subsequently stepped up and by 1939 only 280 Jews remained. Deportations commenced on 13 November 1942, with additional transports on 20 November and 11 December as well as during 1943 and early 1944.