Travel across Germany allows me always not only to get to learn more about the country, but also to identitfy traces of Jewish life and memory. While in Ulm, I had the chance to discover more details about the tormented WWII history.
A permanent exhibition an Einstein Haus/Ulmer Volkshochschule, on Kornhausplatz is dedicated to explaining historical episodes of the resistance against Nazi regime.
As for now, I do not have enough historical information to offer a critical outlook to the exhibition as such, but as expected, it features extensively Hans&Sophie Scholl, born here.
There are also featured another members of the White Rose - the name of the most important resistance movement, at least in this part of Germany - as well as testimonies of Jewish citizens of Ulm. Take them with a grain of salt, but there are many details that deserve a further research.
As in many other German cities, what once was the Jewish quarter was clearly named - Jewish street, or yard. Judenhof in Ulm used to be the centr of local Jewish life from the late Middle Ages onwards. In 1353 a synagogue used to serve the community here. The name served usually to create clear boundaries between Jewish and non-Jewish residents and very often limited the freedom of movements of Jews living there.
As all over Germany, Jewish life got a new impetus in the 1990s, with the arrival of Jewish from former Soviet Union. The community increased considerably in the decade onwards, prompting the need for a bigger religious and community meeting point. Right now, the members count around 450-500, mostly Russian-speakers.
The new synagogue, a cube marked on sides with windows outlined by Stars of David, was inaugurated in 2012, 70 years after the Kristalnacht pogrom.
It is situated on Weinhof 2 where the 19th century once stood, and is currently following the Chabad orientation. Due to the lack of time, during my visit I was not able to visit the synagogue, but according to the general descriptions of the location, it hosts a community center, a mikwa, a nursery and various educational programmes for children.
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