The Beginning

It is known about Jews at Dettensee since 1688, but probably they had lived here decades before. When the village was sold to the Swiss monastery of Muri, Jews (so-called “Schutzjuden”, which roughly translates as “protected Jews”) came here in 1720 and in so doing founded the Jewish community. Yet, the number of Jews was limited to 25 families.

The Jews lived in a pitiful environment: In the three manorial houses they had lent (Also contemptuously called “Great Jew Building” or “Jew Barracks” by the population), there were a prayer room and a school room in addition to all the families. No family possessed more than two rooms, and the continuing request for more space to the abbot of Muri remained futile.
Even though, the Jewish community, which had become a part of Hohenzollern in 1806 and there was one of three besides Haigerloch and Hechingen, grew: In 1820, a synagogue could be erected, in 1822, even an own rabbinate could be installed. A Jewish school was founded in 1826.

The Zenith in the 19th Century

In those days, all the Jews except the schoolmaster, the precentor and one innkeeper were traders and dealers. However, the possibilities of trade and commerce were very limited due to the restrictions and orders of the administration; as a consequence, some of the Jews merely could survive by begging and receiving alms. The population of the Jewish community at Dettensee reached its top in 1830 with 197 members; this was roughly half of the population of Dettensee.
Meanwhile, a cemetery had been installed, and an order of the princely government of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in 1849 emancipated the Jews: They were allowed to buy houses, it became less difficult to marry and their general situation improved a lot. Yet, in the years to follow, the decline became obvious: The Jews moved to the bigger cities or emigrated to America. There were 143 israelite citizens in 1886, but only 100 in 1890 and merely four in 1904. The school had already been closed in 1902. The relief-fund was taken over by the Jewish community of Haigerloch, whereas the political community of Dettensee took over the school-fund and the assets of the Jewish community with about 4000 Marks.

The End

When the Nazis rose to power in 1933, there were two Jews remaining in Dettensee: The siblings Hermann and Luise Hirsch. Hermann Hirsch had already given the landed property and the assets of the Jewish community to the village of Dettensee in 1930. Dettensee, in exchange, agreed to maintain and take care of the cemetery and to tear down the synagogue.

On July 1, 1934, Herman Hirsch died; thus, the Jewish community at Dettensee had eventually ceased to exist.
Yet, his sister Luise stayed at Dettensee until August 22, 1942. On that day, the old woman was deported to Theresienstadt. From there, she came to the extermination camp at Maly-Trostinec, where she was murdered.
Thus, Dettensee had been touched by the Holocaust, too.

Interesting Things, Personae, Anecdotes

What remained of the Jewish community can still be found nowadays: The cemetery is still intact, and Hermann Hirsch's tombstone is a pillar of the torn-down synagogue. A door of the prayer house today serves as the entrance door of a former joinery.
The most famous Jew from Dettensee, maybe the one citizen from Dettensee that is known best at all, was the painter Salomon Hirschfelder. He was born here on May 16, 1831 and grew up in the pitiable environment all the Jews at Dettensee had to live in. Later, he moved to Munich to study at the academy of arts. In fact, Hirschfelder was able to have two of his paintings mentioned in a catalogue of arts in Munich. Besides his activities as a painter, he also took photographs and was said to be a talented musician. He died in 1903, shortly after having sold all his paintings by auction.
It is reported that, in order to raise his small salary, the Jewish teacher Mr. Friedmann worked as a match-maker between Christians. Mrs. Auguste Weil complained about this in 1899: “Mr. Friedmann has been doing his matchmaking ever since he came here, which actually should be beneath his dignity. To do so, he allows himself any means [...] and in so doing, he raises undignified intrigues.” The widow claimed that the teacher did this job - which was not uncommon amongst Jews back then - “just like a handicraft” and frequently visited the women of the neighbouring villages “to learn about anything that is going on.”
On the other hand, the teachers did not have an easy life, either. Haium Stern's son Abraham once wanted to be granted leave for one week; the teacher granted him half a day, the child stayed away from school for one day and again wanted to be granted leave at the following day. “I did not grant it. During the lesson, Haium Stern furiously entered the school room with a well-proportioned stick, demanded his boy with great vehemence and a lot of threats and treated me, to make it brief, very coarsely.”

Last change: March 31, 2003 - www.dettensee.net
Sources: Hans-Peter Müller (Empfingen), Utz Jeggle (Tübingen) and Bernd Ballmann (Horb)