Hagenbach, Germany

HAGENBACH, village in Bavaria, Germany. The existence of a Jewish community in Hagenbach was first noted through its suffering during the *Rindfleisch massacres (1298). Nothing more is known of it until 1478, when the expulsion of Jews from nearby *Bamberg increased the numbers and importance of the Jewish communities in Hagenbach and the neighboring villages. The various communities lived under the protection of the country gentry and formed an association to provide common rabbinic leadership and to represent their shared interests before the governmental authorities. The local *Memorbuch , an important historical document, records that a synagogue and cemetery were consecrated in 1737. In 1813 an independent rabbinate was established, with its seat in Hagenbach, embracing 14 other small communities. In 1867 the community (totaling 126 persons) was united with that of *Baiersdorf , while in 1894 both were included in the rabbinate of Bamberg. The Jewish population numbered 88 in 1900 and only 24 in 1933. All left by November 1938. The community was not reestablished after World War II.

Source: Encyclopaedia Judaica. © 2008 The Gale Group. All Rights Reserved.