52°00' N 9°04' E, 186.6 miles W of Berlin. map.
CEMETERY: 32694 North Rhine-Westphalia (Gerz)
Community Dörentrup, Lippe on Sibbentruperstrasse. Dates from possibly 1890. "some" visible gravestones. The town Bega formerly belonged to the Barntrup kahal with Dörentrup-Bega (since). A hedge surrounds the small cemetery near the railway bridge on the five visible gravesetones. A Holocaust memorial is on the site. One of the stones only reads the year 1849 while three others have already sunk too deep into the soil and weathered. Well preserved, however, is a polished granite stone, which stands on an ornate Eisenzäunchen grave. "Here Kaufmann Katz ruh 1829 - 1884" is the engraved inscription. Probably from the early 19th century, the cemetery proves that Jews lived in Bega. Members of the Barntrup Jewish kahal. The property is now owned by the Bega Forest prospective community as a small part of the community Dörentrup. The cemetery is now secured in the long term; landmarked in 2009. The small area near the railroad tracks has now been declared a national monument. The annual maintenance costs are paid by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, a cost-covering contribution. First, the church provided its preservation, but for several decades, the area has been maintained by the municipal yard. Only a few graves, like that of "The Merchant Katz", are reminiscent of former Jewish life in Bega. [Sep 2012]
- History in Westphalia-Lippe 1987 , page 92
- History in splendor 1998 , page 292