Jews in the Czech Republic
When did the Jews first enter our land? The answer to this question is not easy. It is believed that probably already in Roman times, Jews crossed the border of the Roman Empire, the so-called limes romanus, and traded there with the Celts, Germans and later with the Slavs.
The position of Jews in Czech society has always been complicated throughout history and has involved a number of restrictions and often persecution, expulsion or pogroms. Although the Jews paid the monarch a considerable amount for protection, they still lived on the side of society. The laws did not allow Jews to practice most of the common professions, and money business was forced on them as the dominant source of livelihood. This was the cause of never-ending disputes and conflicts with the Christian majority, who saw Jews as moneylenders.
The difficult position alternately improved and worsened until the middle of the 19th century, when the time of equal opportunities finally came for all gifted, enterprising and capable Jews, who naturally tried to take advantage of it. The age-old emphasis on education and the millennial experience of oppression have taught Jews of mutual cohesion, helping the needy, and supporting gifted individuals.
However, the success they achieved brought them, in addition to recognition, also envy and a new wave of anti-Semitism, this time more improved, systematic and subtly spread. The end of the modern and successful period of Jewish history in the Czech lands is called the Holocaust. After this, the post-war history of the survivors began. The period of operation of only a few Jewish communities. A life marked by an incomparable historical experience.
Among the Jews of Boskovice who achieved success and fame in the 20th century are, for example, the writer Hermann Ungar, the painter Anna Tichová, the sociologist Bruno Zwicker, the theologian Erich Rohan and others.
Borders of the Roman Empire touched also the present Czech Republic.
A loan shark - a depiction dated back to the Middle Ages
Residence of Löw-Beer family in Svitávka (5 km from Boskovice) is one of the local evidences of prosperity of one Jewish faily. Their other residences we can find in Brno and again in Svitávka.
Although Jews lived in our lands, they used German more often then Czech as their mother tongue. The reasons for it were official orders. Those forced they to speak Germam since 18th century.
Rabinowitsch, I. L. - Lehrbuch. (dictionary Hebrew, German)
Jewish quarters near Boskovice
- first Jews in Boskovice - 14th century?
- beginning of the first Jewish municipality - 15th century
- maximum number of Jewish families allowed to live here from the 18th to the half of the 19th century - 326
- 1848 – Jewish people - 38 % of inhabitants in Boskovice
- 1851–1885 – the seat of the Moravian Rabbi
- After the 2nd World War: Jewish municipality restore but later it was connected with Brno because of the lack of believers
- The centre of Talmud
- Famous natives – Abraham Albert Ticho, Hermann Ungar
- First Jews - the second half of the 17th century
- 1708 – Jews from Lysice removed here, the beginning of the Jewish municipality
- maximum number of Jewish families allowed to live here from the 18th to the half of the 19th century – 56
- End of the 18the century - Jews - 50 % of the inhabitants of the town
- To 1919 – a seat of the Rabbi
- After 1925 – Jewish municipality connected to Brno
- Synagogue, house of a Rabbi, religious school
- First Jews - 12th century
- After 1345 – refugees from Germany come
- 1454 – Jews are expelled from Brno
- The 18th century - new Jewish municipality is created
- 18th and the beginning of the 19th century - Hebrew printing works
- Since 1885 – the seat of the main Moravian Rabbi
- Jews - 6 % of inhabitants of Brno during the greatest boom
- During Nazi occupation, 8400 people died
- After the Second World War - Jewish municipality restored
- Important natives: philosopher Theodor Gomperz, writers Philipp Langmann, Antoinette von Kahler, violonist Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst, artists Anna Ticho, Otto Ungar, Samuel Friedrich Beer, actor Hugo Haas
- Synagogue, cemetery
- First Jews - the first half of the 14th century
- from the 16th to the 18th century - no evidence about the presence of Jews
- 1890 – 5% of inhabitants are Jews
- After 1860 – a religious club is founded
- 1891 – the club is changed into Jewish municipality
- After the Second World War - the end of the Jewish municipality
- Synagogue and cemetery
- The first mention about Jews – 1445
- The second half of the 15th century - Jews expelled from Olomouc coming
- 17th century – Jews from Poland and Vienna coming
- 1804 – 25 % of inhabitants of Prostějov are Jews
- After 1945 - Jewish municipality restored
- Centre of education
- Hebrew printing works
- Jews founded the local textile industry.
- Important natives: – philisopher Edmund Husserl, architect Max Fleischer, composer Ignatz Brüll, dramatist Max Zweig
- Synagogues, prayer room, cemetery
- First Jews – beginning of the 15th century
- Since the 16th century – Jewish municipality
- 1848 – 32 % inhabitants are Jews
- After the Second World War - the end of the Jewish municipality
- Famous native - composer Richard Fall
- Synagogue, cemetery
The decorative amphora is one of the products made by a Jewish company in Boskovice. It is made of brass. The amphora is dated back to the beginning of the 20th century.
