International Jewish Cemetery Project
International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies

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ESSEN: 45127 North Rhine-Westphalia (Gerz)

DOCUMENTATION:
"Geschichte und Schicksal der Essener Juden (History and Fate of the Jews of Essen), edited by Hermann Schroeter, published by city of Essen 1980. Includes photos and inscriptions on some of the tombstones. I have a map of the city of Essen that shows the district in which each of these cemeteries is located." Submitted by Inga Karo, 328 Rockledge Avenue, Huntingdon Valley, PA; 19006 who has a copy. Call or write her for information.
CEMETERIES:
  • Lazarettstr. (formerly Hammer Strasse): 1830-1885. #4 on the city map. Established in 1830. Some gravestones still remain. A public air raid shelter was built on this site 1941/42. Remains were exhumed and transferred to the Park Cemetery.
  • Ot. Huttrop, Lanterstr./Ecke Moltkestr.:
    • Lanter Street/Hovescheider: 1766-1855. #11 or #13 on the city map. The Lanter Strasse Cemetery, now closed, in Bergerhousen & Huttrop. At the confluence of today's Lanter Strasse & Moltke Strasse, midway between Essen & Steele was another Jewish cemetery. Only two gravestones with Hebrew inscriptions remain in a small garden. A memorial tablet was erected after 1945.
    • Park Friedhof: 1929. #11 on the city map. Located on what was once called Stattpropstrasse in Huttrop section of Essen, it has a Jewish section. First burial took place in 1931. Includes gravestones from the 1930's and after World War II. Has 34 gravestones from Lazarett Strasse Cemetery which were transferred 1941/42.
  • Ot. Kettwig, Heiligenhauser Str. & Blomericher Weg: Now part of City of Essen, has 2 Jewish cemeteries:
    • The old cemetery on Breitscheider District, Blomericher Weg est. 1790 & still in existence.
    • #49 on city map. b) Heiligenhauser Strasse est. 1890. #34 on city map
  • Ot. Steele, Hiltrupskamp: Steele Strasse: 1855-1943. #34 on city map. Located Hiltruper Kamp, corner of Steele Strasse.
  • Knottenberg: 1627-1855. #34 on the city map. Earliest known Jewish cemetery in the Essen area dates back to 1627. It served the Essen-Steele congregation on a property on Knottenberg, which is now across the street from the orphanage for the city of Steele. In 1716, this cemetery was enlarged and surrounded by a wall. It was used until the second half of the 18th c.
  • Ot. Werden, Pastoratsberg: 1878 -1920's. #30 on the city map. Grounds of the Pastoratsberg held a Jewish cemetery for the small town of Werden 1878-1920's. Located near former Jewish Old Age Home and the Youth Hostel.
  • Ot. Segeroth, Reckhammerweg: August 1885-1973. #3 on city map. The last burial took place in 1973.
    • Update: "...I went to Germany and back. I joined my husband on a business trip and took the time to work out some of my roots. I hadn't found any more information on the internet, but when I arrived in Essen I went to the tourist info. near the railway station and there I got more than I expected: a whole review of the history of the Jewish community in Essen and where the old cemetery in which my grandmother is buried, is. I was told that the area of the Jewish cemetery and the Christian cemeteries near by, was recently turned into a Park and the Jewish area was fenced in because of fear of vandalism. I was referred to the old Synagogue, which is a marvelous gigantic building that withstood the war (but was completely destroyed from the inside on the Kristalnacht), and houses the Jewish community offices. There, I was received warmly, and together we found my grandmothers' name on the list of people buried in the cemetery, and the exact location on the cemetery plan. I was given a key to the gate and told how to get there. The Cemetery is in Park Segeroth, near the University of Essen (Underground stop: University). It functioned until 1933 only. After that year people where buried in another cemetery. The graves that are there stand among lovely trees and bushes and some of them were in bloom! " Note from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. whose photos are shown below.

[June 4, 2008]