 1856 - 1931 (75 years)
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| Name |
Joseph Ignatz Spitz |
| Prefix |
Rabbi Dr. |
| Born |
16 Aug 1856 |
Bilka, Hungary  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Biography |
Rabbi in Haigerloch from 1889 to 1894.
Rabbi in Gailingen from 1888-1925. During the middle 19th century there were 1000 Jews in this small town in Baden. In the 1920's the Jews were still a quarter of the population, due to the Jewish Old Age Home and Hospital. See Pinkas Hakehillot Jslm 1986 S285
The Jewish history of Gailingen begins in 1654 when six Jews moved to town. They were protected by a special decree three years later. Others followed, and in 1722 there are 18 Jewish households in Gailingen. By the middle of the 18th century, that number has increased to 28. In 1766, a new school is built.
The Jewish community is growing. In 1827, Gailingen becomes the district seat for the rabbi. A new synagogue opens its doors in 1836. The new schoolhouse is built in 1845-47 and features apartments for the rabbi and teacher on the top floor, as well as a ritual bath in the basement. Both Jewish and Christian children alike later attend the school.
By the middle of the 19th century, more than half of Gailingen’s population is Jewish. However, many German Jews leave their small hometowns to move to the cities after their legal emancipation was finalized in 1862. But a significant number of Jews still call Gailingen their home. A Jewish mayor is elected in 1870, and he must have been popular, since Hirsch Leopold Guggenheim retained the post until 1884.
The district rabbi moves to Konstanz in 1925. The Jewish population in Gailingen is slowly decreasing to about 20% in 1933, a dark year in German history. The infamous "crystal night" does not bypass Gailingen. On November 10, 1938, the synagogue is destroyed. Two memorial stones commemorate this shameful event today. Two years later, on October 22, 1940, all Jews from the area of Baden are deported to the South of France. After having peacefully co-existed with their non-Jewish neighbors for centuries, the Jews of Gailingen are gone.
Luckily, the schoolhouse survives and is now a museum for Jewish history in the Lake Constance area. Both the apartments and the ritual bath have been preserved in their original state and can be viewed today. The building was completely renovated in 1998/99. The museum is run by a foundation for the preservation of Jewish history and offers exhibitions, seminars, lectures, photo displays etc. The foundation was also able to interview several Jews from Gailingen who now live in Israel. Plans for the future include collecting additional historical documents about Jews in the area, running a permanent exhibition about the Jewish population around Lake Constance, inviting students to visit the museum, and organizing exchange programs with schools in Israel and the U.S. [1] |
| Hebrew Birth |
15 Ab 5616 |
| Hebrew Death |
19 Kis 5692 |
| Immigration |
Gailingen, Germany |
| Occupation |
Rabbi of Gailingen |
| Residence |
Bilka, Hungary |
| Residence |
Gailingen, Germany |
| Residence |
Frankfurt, Germany |
| Died |
29 Nov 1931 |
Frankfurt, Germany |
| Person ID |
I4179 |
Blank Family |
| Last Modified |
16 Dec 2011 |
| Family |
Minna E. Eichenberg, b. 15 Nov 1865, Adelebsen, Germany , d. 11 Mar 1909, Gailingen, Germany (Age 43 years) |
| Married |
19 Feb 1890 |
Haigerloch, Germany |
| Children |
| | 1. Jenny Spitz, b. 10 Sep 1896, Gailingen, Germany , d. 15 Sep 1942, Auschwitz CC (Age 46 years) |
|
| Last Modified |
16 Aug 2007 |
| Family ID |
F1383 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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| Sources |
- [S185] Town of Gailingen, Gailingen, Germany, www.in-gailingen.de.
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