FRANKFURT am Main | HESSEN (HESSE) | International Jewish Cemetery Project

FRANKFURT am Main: 6xxxx [many codes] Hesse (Gerz)
http://www.altfrankfurt.com/Default.htm [January 2001]
NOTE: The small cemeteries in the suburbs are locked; keys can be obtained from: Verwaltung des Frankfurter Hauptfriedhofs, Eckenheimer Landstrase 194, room 4 [according to Senger & Meier-Ude 1985, p. 96]. The small local Jewish cemeteries in Frankfurt have not been documented. Some have no gravestones left standing. The cemetery in the neighborhood of Bockenheim is one of the largest of those with remaining gravestones. Bockenheim has about 300 gravestones.

Battonnstrasse: oldest. Used 1270-1828:, located between Battonnstrasse and Rechneigrabenstrasse; 11850 sqm; ca.7000 graves; used: 1270-1870; In 1942, the gravestones were piled up and about two thirds of them were demolished. 175 stones of particular historical and artistic interest were moved to the cemetery Rat-Beil-Strasse; after the war, they were returned and (since their original location was unknown) placed along the wall and in a small "fieldof honor", which contains, among others, the gravestones of Meyer Amschel Rothschild and several famous rabbis. The Nazis destroyed many of those graves during WWII. 2,000-2,500 gravestones remain standing as the Nazis were interrupting by allied bombing in the middle of their dirty work. The director of the Historical Museum, a gentile, was able to hide and save 175 gravestones of the most historical and artistic value. From 1725-1774 there were about 9,000 burials, so one can note that many of those buried probably had no gravestones; among them children, babies, the poor (including beggars) and strangers (people who had no protection and wandered from one community to another; many were peddlers). From 1828/30-1869 all documented information is lost although the graves are still standing at the Rat-Beil-Strasse Cemetery, waiting for funds and someone to do the work.
To see current pictures, names from Book: {10805}
Der Alte Juedische Friedhof zu Frankfurt am Main, Unbekannte Denkmaeler und Inschriften. (about 190 names) by Michael Brocke; Jan Thorbecke Verlag 1996 (herausgegeben von der Kommission zur Erforschung der Geschichte der Frankfurter Juden). 110 gravestones out of the 2,000-2,500 still standing were discovered, for which there was no previous documentation. These gravestones were photographed and published in a book by Michael Brocke. The Jewish Museum gave us permission to use those names, so I copied the 3-page index. The number associated with the person refers to more data in the book, including pictures of the tombstone. Source: Nancy Grossman
     Book: {10832} 5881 names: The names have an identification number that refers to another section of the book that is in Hebrew. This section would have more details about the person. The numbers are in chronological sequence from 1200 on. It is often very difficult to figure out if a name is a first name or last name. It often says geb. and the next word might be a location or a maiden name. The data entry people and I gave it our best guess.
     Die Inschriften des alten Friedhofs der israelitischen Gemeinde zu Frankfurt A. M./ Mit einer Einleitung von M. Markus Horovitz (1841-1910). Frankfurt a. M. J. Kauffmann, 1901. 4, liii, 768 p. 23 cm. "Inschriften" (p. 1-696) in Hebrew; Hebrew title page reads: Sefer avne zikaron. Introduction and register in German. ID # GT 3250 F72 I 5 Source: LBI
    Rabbi Marcus Horovitz's 1901 "Die Inschriften des alten Friedhofs der israelitischen Gemeinde zu Frankfurt a. M.," containing thousands of gravestone inscriptions from Frankfurt, is viewable (at least, for users accessing from the U.S.) through Google Books at: http://books.google.com/books?id=PkUOAAAAIAAJ. Source: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [Oct 2007]
     Listing of over 6000 headstones with inscriptions, dates, etc. also at the Hebrew College Library in Brookline, MA also Source: Tagger, Mathilde A. Printed Books on Jewish cemeteries in the Jewish National and University Library in Jerusalem: an annotated bibliography. Jerusalem: The Israel Genealogical Society, 1997. In the introduction he has some statistics as to the number of people who have died during the 17th century but they are many more than the about 6100 names he lists. "This cemetery was filled over several times-I have numbers of between 4 to 6 times-and while visible stones are supposed to have been raised, it is evident that most of some could not have been raised." Source: Arthur Levi, 435 Porter Lake Drive, Longmeadow MA 01106, Phone: 413-781-2089, Fax: 413-781-2090 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Names sent from book by Nancy Grossman
     From the World Jewish Congress' Dateline , July 1996: "A 1,000- foot wall, inscribed with the names of Frankfurt Jews murdered during the Holocaust, has been unveiled at the city's ancient Jewish cemetery. The wall lists 11,134 victims, and remains of some of the city's synagogues, destroyed by the Germans, have been placed alongside the remembrance wall."
     Der alte Juedische Friedhof zu Frankfurt am Main, Michael Lenarz, published in the name of the Magistrate of the City of Frankfurt am Main, Dezernat fuer Kultur und Freiheit-George Heuberger, 1996 This 34 page booklet gives a short history of the old cemetery on the Batton Strasse, has pictures of some of the stones and a map of the cemetery identifying special areas and location of stones of important persons. Source: Arthur Levi, 435 Porter Lake Drive, Longmeadow MA 01106, Phone: 413-781-2089, Fax: 413-781-2090 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
     Der alte Judenfriedhof in Frankfurt a.M, by Julius Hulsen, (1844-1910) (DS135.g4 f685771 1932, 2d ed.) Sefer avne zikaron: ha-ktav veha-mikhtav mi-bet ha-kevarotha-yashan dk.k.Published: veranknurt. `al Nehar Moin: Koyfmann, 1901 `im hakdamah ve-he`arot / me'et Mordekhai ha-Levi Horovits. Added title page: Die Inschriften des alten Friedhofs der Israelitischen Gemeinde zu Frankfurt a.M. Introduction & notes in German. Includes index. (DS135.G4 68551) and at LBI ID # GT 3250 F72 H8 Source: LBI not in DRA
     Der alte juedische Friedhof zu Frankfurt am Main, 2745, BR, 1/2/1997, LENARZ Michael, title: Juedisches Museum Frankfurt am Main, 1996, 34 p.,German. Source: Daniel Dratwa about books among the collection at the Jewish Museum of Belgium. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
     Gedenkbuch der Frankfurter Juden. Nach den aufzeichnungen der Beerdigungs-Bruderschaft hrsg. Vom Komitee zur Erhaltung und Wiederherstellung der Grabdenkmaeler auf dem alten israelitischen Friedhofe am Boerneplatz zu Frankfurt am Main/ Bearb. und ins Deutsche uebertragen von Simon Unna. Erster Band, 1624-1680. Frankfurt am Main: J. Kauffmann, 1914. 537p. 27cm. Freimann, p. 270. Hebrew and German. ID # GT 3250 F72 U5 Source: LBI
     Grabinschriften des alten Judenfriedhofs in Frankfurt am Main; eine Auswahl-Texte, Kurzbiographien und Uebersetzungen, by Arno Lustiger. Frankfurt/M.: Kirchheimsche Stiftung 1984, 10 pp.
     Xerox of certificate for Frankfurt Jewish cemetery (among many other things); Location at LBI : Frankfurt Am Main; Jewish community collection; Storage-Location: 2nd floor left microfilm cabinet, A 11/4, V 1/5 (Box 2), V 1/5 (Box 6) 174. III 17 Frankfurt a. Main, death register, 1805-1808, typed, German. Source: LBI -HJ Cemetery list. Source: LBI
Bergen-Enkheim (Am Berger Galgen): {10856} 180 sqm
Bergen-Enkheim (Am Weissen Turm): 1,731 sqm Location: behind houses 2-16; access from Ludwig-Klemann-Weg; used until World War I. Bergen. Vilbeler Landstrasse, opposite Am Galgen; about 10 gravestones used until after 1933.
Bockenheim (Sophienstrasse): 1,641 sqm; used until WWI.; about 300 tombstones left
Boerneplatz: http://www.altfrankfurt.com/Altstadt2/Judengasse/Friedhof "It had not been used for burial since 1828. The cemetery was laid out in the 13th Century, with the oldest tombstone dating from 1272. The pictures give a good impression of this place of honor, which had around 6000 graves, well preserved amid the growth of bushes and trees before the second world war." [January 2001]
Eckenheimer Landstr. (Also called the New Jewish Cemetery) 54,532 square meters; over 7000 graves (as of 1985); used: 1929-present. (This is the primary cemetery in Frankfurt still in use.) In 1929 the New Jewish Cemetery was opened (the main entrance is on Eckenheimer Landstrasse). From 1929-1956 (31 December 1956), there were 4,456 burials. Covering the years 1869-1956 are 3 large volumes of names (death registers). Each volume has about 250 pages. At the end of each year it gives a total number of deaths for that year. We also have permission to copy these registers. These do not include Orthodox deaths. Documentation of this cemetery is now being worked on by the Jewish Museum. In addition there is a drawn up plan/layout of the Orthodox cemetery in Mr. Horowitz's office with the last names of those buried filling in the rectangles. (Mr. Horowitz is the caretaker of the Jewish cemetery and his office is located inside the gate by the entrance to the New Jewish Cemetery on Eckenheimer Landstr.)
Griesheim: 200 sqm. Heinrich-Hardt-Strasse, next to the Christian cemetery Waldschulstrasse; contains about 40 gravestones from the old cemetery (used since 1780), which was bought by "Chemische Fabrik Griesheim" (later "IG Farben") and had to be cleared in 1897.
Heddernheim: 1,753 sqm (In Roemerstadt, Rosa-Luxemburg-Str.) Ort. Heddemheim. In der Roemerstadt, near Rosa-Luxemburg- Strasse; used from 1827, contains some gravestones from the old cemetery (1376-1827) located at what is now Alt-Heddernheim 9.
Nieder-Ursel (Alter Friedhof): 1,084 sqm See pictures.
Nieder-Ursel (Neuer Friedhof): 818 sqm
Rat-Beil-Strasse (Including Religionsfriedhof): 73,831 sqm Used: 1828-1929: However there were occassional burials there after that date until 1993. Often refered to as the "old cemetery". Rat-Beil-Strasse is next to the municipal cemetery; 73831 sqm; ca.30-40,000 graves; used 1828-1929. (From 1886, R. Samson Raphael Hirsch's congregation "Israelitische Religions- gesellschaft" had a separate burial field in the center of the cemetery.) (Sometimes refered to as orthodox.) Here "orthodox" refers strictly to those persons buried in the separate section of the Israelitische Religionsgesellschaft founded by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch. The orthodox (or Tora-Tue) people of the general Jewish community (Kehilla) were called "conservative", which has no resemblance in any way to the definition of "conservative" as it is used here in the USA. Source: Arthur Levi, 435 Porter Lake Drive, Longmeadow MA 01106, Phone: 413-781-2089, Fax: 413-781-2090 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Documentation of this cemetery is now being worked on by the Jewish Museum. In addition there is a plan/layout of the Orthodox cemetery in Mr. Horowitz's office with the last names of those buried filling in the rectangles. To give you an idea of the numbers; from 1869 until 31 December 1918 there were 14,112 non-Orthodox deaths registered. It is estimated that there were altogether 26,400 deaths before 1869. In 1922 for example, there were 359 burials. In 1923; 327. This number rose to about 500 deaths per year in the late 30's until the deportations took place. This was not only due to increased violence and suicide, but also to the influx of Jews from the countryside (smaller towns and villages), and may include Buchenwald deaths.
UPDATE: "I have visited the Jewish cemetery on Rat-Beil-Strasse several times.(My BAER great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents are buried there.) In the cemetery office they have a complete listing of all burials with grave location. It is ordered by burial date. So if you know the burial date (or death date), it will be easy to locate the grave. The only complication is that the cemetery sections were renumbered at some time in the past, so they have to make this change. Source: Ralph N. Baer

We have visited the rat Bei-Strasse cemetery in 1999 and gave, in advance, a list of people buried there and dates to a very helpful man, Klaus Meier- Ude. His interest stemmed from his occupation of photographer. He now is the 'guardian' of the cemetery and could probably look someone up for you. I suspect the records are not computerised and therefore a month/year of death would be helpful if not essential. His address is: Rat Beil-Strasse nr 10, 60318 Frankfurt, tel 069 55 73 59. source: Marion Davies, London
BOOK: {10812} (Just a few names that were in the book as an example.) Die juedischen Friedhoefe in Frankfurt by Valentin Senger & Klaus Meier-Ude. Frankfurt/M.: Kramer 1985, ISBN 3-7829-0298-X, 99 pp. [brief history of the cemeteries, many photos; lists 20 prominent Jews buried in the cemetery Rat-Beil-Strasse, with some biographical information and a cemetery diagram showing numbering of burial fields and locations of the graves mentioned; One page (71) lists 250 names in section 57. no index. (DS135.G4 F717 1985) and at LBI ID # GT 3250 F72 J84
Roedelheim (Zentmarkweg): 2,724 sqm
Roedelheim (Westerbachstrasse) OR Sophienstr: 1,493 sqm. Ort Roedelheim: Seegewann (end of street); about 20 gravestones, including those of the printers Heidenheim and Baschwitz. Oldest gravestones from 1740.
Ot. Niederursel/Urselbachtal: In addition there are remnants of two cemeteries in Niederursel (both on Oberurseler Weg) and memorial stones for a Jewish cemetery within the Christian cemetery in Rodelheim Westerbachstrasse).
Israelite Religious Society or ("Israelitische Religions-Gesellschaft" or IRG) Cemetery: An Orthodox cemetery in largely Reform Frankfort under Rabbi Hirsch numbered about 500 families. About 2000 gravestones are listed on a CD collection for which there is a charge. The CD also contains photographs. [October 2004]

General books about Frankfurt cemeteries:
     Wenn keine Stimme sich fur uns erhebt, so moegen die Steine dieser Stadt fuer uns zeugen; Juedische Friedhoefe-Grabsteine als Zeugen der Geschichte. [Jewish cem: tombstones as witnesses to history] by Angelika Rieber. In: "Ich bin kein deutscher Patriot mehr, jetzt bin ich Jude"; die Vertreibung juedischer Buerger aus Wiesbaden (1933 bis 1947) ed by Lothar Bembenek & Horst Dickel. Frankfurt/M.: Diesterweg (Materialien zum Unterricht, Sekundarstufe I, Heft 107), ISBN 3-88327-253-3, 129-193 Source: DIE DEUTSCHE NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHIE
     Grabinschriften des alten Judenfriedhofs in Frankfurt am Main eine Auswahl-Texte, Kurzbiographien und Uebersetzungen, by Arno Lustiger. Frankfurt/M.: Kirchheimsche Stiftung 1984, 10 pp.
Durch freidhof aus dem leben geschiedene frankfurter Juden, 1938-1943/ [von Adolf] Diamant. Frankfurt am Main: Selbstverlag, 1983. v, 16 p. 24 cm. vital statistics and cemeteries; ID # DS 135 G4 F7 D52 Source: LBI
     Friedhofs- und Begraebnissordnung der israelitischen Religionsgesellschaft in Frankfurt A. M./ Frankfurt am Main: 189-? 8 p. 20 cm. AND 1913 ID # BM 318 F68 A5 Source: LBI
     An additional Source for Frankfurt, but which does not specify a cemetery is Ettlinger's work. Ettlinger, a Frankfurt lawyer and genealogist, prepared data sheets (his life's work) on each of the names from Frankfurt's Memorial Book(s). Unfortunately the Memorial Book(s) were destroyed during the war, but Ettlinger's work remains. He documented the burials that were listed from about 1200, up until 1830. These contain fantastic genealogical data. His work makes many corrections to Horovitz's work. There are 12 volumes of about 1,000 pages each. (Totaling up to about 12,000 names). The Jewish Museum has given me permission to copy the pages. The three copies of this exist in 1. Frankfurt, 2. LBI (Leo Baeck Institute, 3. Jerusalem.
   UPDATE: Names, years of death, the Hebrew inscriptions and their translations into German are searchable both in German and Hebrew at http://www.steinheim-institut.de:50580/cgi-bin/epidat where you choose the cemetery under "Auswahlmenue" and go to "Inschriften" to access chronological order inscriptions one by one or in a particular year under "Jahr". [December 2007]