The Jewish Community of Plzen

Plzen

German, English: Pilsen

A city in western Bohemia, Czech Republic

Pilsen is located approximately 56 miles (90km) west of Prague. Until 1918 it was part of the Austrian Empire. During the interwar period, and between the end of World War II until 1993, it was part of the Republic of Czechoslovakia.

Two of Pilsen's five synagogues remain standing. The Moorish-style Great Synagogue, which was built in 1893, was renovated at the end of the 20th century. In addition to being used for religious services, it is also used as a concert and exhibition hall. Both the Great Synagogue and the Old Synagogue offer tours from April until October, Sunday through Friday (except for Jewish holidays).

The Jewish cemetery has tombstones dating from the end of the 19th century through the 20th century. It includes a memorial to victims of the Holocaust, as well as special sections for children, refugees, and soldiers who served in World War I. The cemetery can be accessed freely.

HISTORY

The Jewish community of Pilsen was one of the first to be established in Bohemia. The first documentary record of the community is a decree from 1338, signed by Charles IV, in which the town's administrators were ordered to protect the Jews. The community had a synagogue, and in 1432 the community bought a plot of land to be used as a cemetery.

Many transactions between Jews and Christians are recorded on the town records from the 15th century, indicating that there was a great deal of commercial interaction between them. These peaceful times, however, would not last. In 1504 Jews were expelled from Pilsen after a host desecration charge. It was not until 1848, with the emancipation of Jews throughout the Austrian Empire and the subsequent removal of residence restrictions, that Jews were once again permitted to settle in Pilsen.

In the meantime, Jews were allowed to trade in Pilsen and Jews from all of western Bohemia and Prague attended the Pilsen markets. In 1821 there were 32 Jews living in Pilsen illegally. By 1854, once Jews were permitted to live in the city, the Jewish population jumped to 249. A Jewish cemetery was consecrated in 1856 and a synagogue in 1859. In spite of anti-Jewish riots that broke out in 1866, by 1870 the Jewish population had grown to 1,207.

By the beginning of the 20th century the community was among the five largest and most affluent in Bohemia. A large, Moorish-style synagogue was built in 1893. The first Bnai Brith lodge in Bohemia was founded in Pilsen. Beginning in 1918 the community supported two rabbis, one of whom delivered his sermons in Czech while the other gave his sermons in German. Ideologically the community was diverse, and conflicts would break out between German liberal assimilationists, Czech-Jews, and Zionists.

Controversy broke out during the interwar period of shechitah, kosher slaughtering. In 1920 it was declared illegal for humanitarian reasons. When the Supreme Court declared this prohibition illegal in 1934, the attempt to reintroduce shechitah failed because of the higher prices for kosher meat.

In 1921 there were 3,117 Jews living in Pilsen. In 1930 the community numbered 2,773 (2.4% of the total population).

In the fall of 1938 many Jews began arriving in Pilsen from communities in the Sudeten region, which was annexed to Nazi Germany following the Munich Agreement.

THE HOLOCAUST

In March, 1939 the German army occupied Bohemia and Moravia, and declared the region as a protectorate of Nazi Germany. This ushered in a period of violence and discrimination against the region's Jews. The Jewish cemetery in Pilsen was desecrated; the synagogue would have been destroyed, but the plan was abandoned when it became clear that destroying the synagogue would also mean destroying the surrounding buildings. In 1940 the community's rabbi, Max Hoch, was killed, along with one of the community's leaders. In 1942 more than 2,000 people from western Bohemia were concentrated in Pilsen. From there they were deported to concentration and death camps, where most were killed. Meanwhile, ritual objects from the synagogue were transferred to the Central Jewish Museum in Prague.

POSTWAR

After World War II a community was reestablished in Pilsen; in 1948 it consisted of 293 people. A memorial for the 3,200 victims of the Polocaust from Pilsen and western Bohemia was dedicated in the new cemetery in 1951. Though the Jewish community declined, mainly due to emigration, it was still active in 1970 and used the old synagogue and maintained both cemeteries. It also administered the Ceske Budejovice community.

In 1973 the Great Synagogue, which had fallen into disrepair, was closed for safety reasons. It was reopened and restored in 1998.