History of the Jews in Germany

German Jews have existed since at least the early 4th century. The community prospered under Charlemagne, but suffered during the Crusades. (German Jews also founded the Ashkenazi Jewish community in the Dark and Middle Ages.) Accusations of well poisoning during the Black Death led to mass slaughters of German Jews, and their fleeing in large numbers to Poland.

From the time of Moses Mendelssohn until the 20th century the community gradually achieved emancipation, and then prospered. However, following the growth of Nazism and its antisemitic ideology and policies, the Jewish community was severely persecuted and suffered a brutal genocide. Many Jews emigrated, and of the 522,000 Jews living in Germany in January 1933, only 214,000 were left by the eve of World War II. About 90% of the remaining community was killed during the war.[1]

After the war the Jewish community started to slowly grow again, fueled primarily by immigration from the former USSR. By the 21st century, the Jewish population of Germany approached 200,000, and Germany had the only growing Jewish community in Europe.[2]

tv for free online
ict advies waalwijk