Jews in Hamburg

For over 400 years Jews have characterized the development of Hamburg in different areas of life. This contribution of the Jews to the history of Hamburg since the end of the 16th century up to the present as well as the previous extensive
culture and world of Jews in Hamburg is presented in the new department of the Museum of Hamburg History.

The first idea of a permanent exhibition about the history of Jews in the Museum of Hamburg History, was first mooted in the middle of 1970. For such an exhibition, there had to be extensive research and collecting before hand because it was only partly known, what kind of material about the topic was still available in museums, archives, libraries and in private ownership. Following an exhibition in 1986/87 titled: “Formerly at home in Hamburg: Jewish life at the Grindel“ the first summary of the topic in 1991/92 was the large exhibition „Four hundred Years of Jews in Hamburg“

This exhibition and the extensive preceding work of the participating experts formed the basis for the permanent exhibition „Jews in Hamburg“. The exhibition was created after extensive construction, through which storage facilities were built to create new rooms for exhibitions. They were opened on the 6th of March 1997. On the one hand the visitor will find a chronological display of the history of Jews in Hamburg beginning with their immigration and ending with their persecution and extermination by the National Socialists. On the other hand, chosen main topics are displayed: Jewish schools, Jews and the economy in Hamburg, Jewish living conditions as well as the Jewish cult and the festivities. Ceremonial Jewish life is seperately emphasized in different areas, as well as the history of the Jews in Hamburg since 1945. Further more the visitor is informed about current events on Jewish culture and history.

Numerous authorities from institutions, museums, archives and libraries in Hamburg and abroad, from Jerusalem to New York, have participated in this and other preceding exhibitions through their advice and loans. To all of them we would like to express our thanks and in particular to the Jewish community in Hamburg and to the society of former citizens of Hamburg, Lübeck and Bremen in Israel, whose untiring effort and support have contributed to the success of the exhibition.

Jews in Hamburg
- The arrival of the first Jews in Hamburg
- Enlightment and emancipation
- Jews in the german empire
- Jews and the Weimar Republic
- Persecution and the holocaust under the national socialist leadership
- Jewish Schools
- Jews and business in Hamburg
- Living conditions and Jewish residential areas
- The Synagogue