Jewish cemetery in Tiengen: memorial steles inaugurated after 87 years!

Jewish cemetery in Tiengen: memorial steles inaugurated after 87 years!

History comes back to life in the heart of Waldshut-Tiengen. The Jewish cemetery, which had been barely recognizable as such for almost 90 years after its destruction by the National Socialists, has now received a significant revival. This was celebrated on Sunday, November 9, 2025, as part of a solemn commemoration event on the occasion of Kristallnacht in 1938. On this occasion, 20 striking metal steles in the shape of gravestones were inaugurated, symbolizing the destroyed gravestones. That's how he reports South Courier about the successful repair.

Around 200 people gathered to remember the victims of the pogroms. Mayor Martin Gruner didn't mince his words and spoke about the responsibility of power and the tragic history that the Jewish cemetery embodies. He was reminiscent of Wilhelm Gutmann, a predecessor in office who had abused his power. District Administrator Martin Kistler also emphasized how important places of remembrance are for society today.

The creation process of the steles

The stele project was initiated by the Waldshut-Tiengen Jewish Life Association and received significant support from students at the Waldshut trade school and the municipal building yard. Gebhard Kaiser, chairman of the Friends of Jewish Life, presented the two-year development process behind the implementation of these steles. “The cemetery should have a face again,” he said. The steles not only commemorate the deceased, but are also intended to restore the peace of the dead that was disturbed during Kristallnacht.

It is noteworthy that the arrangement of the stelae in four rows was coordinated with the descendants of the Tiengen Jews. Since the exact location of the graves is unknown, the 20 steles were deliberately designed from untreated steel to avoid rusting over time. This is a sign of transience and a haunting reference to the tragic past of the Jewish community in Waldshut-Tiengen.

A commemoration of emotions and memories

The memorial event was accompanied by musical performances, prayers and readings. The emotional highlight was the reciting of the Kaddish prayer by René Loeb and the musical performance by clarinetist Lena Wiegand. Both contributed to the moving atmosphere that deeply touched everyone present.

The relevance of the Jewish cemetery and the importance of the memorial is more important today than ever. In the 18th century, around 200 to 300 Jewish people lived in Waldshut-Tiengen, which made up a significant proportion of around 15 percent of the population. But during the imperial pogroms, only ten Jews could be found in the city. This tragic story is now brought to the public through the new steles and engraved in the city's memory.

Access to the Jewish cemetery remains regulated. A key is available at the Waldshut tourist information office and at the citizens' office in Tiengen, because even today a visit requires sensitivity and respect for history. Jewish graves traditionally face east toward Jerusalem, and visitors should be aware of cultural practices. An invaluable opportunity to evaluate one's relationship to history and maintain the memory of those who have died.

Thanks to such initiatives, the Jewish heritage in Waldshut-Tiengen is once again tangible, and the cemetery is given a new and important face thanks to the metal steles, which transport the history of the Jewish community from the past to the present. Again SWR emphasizes, this not only initiates a process of coming to terms with the past, but also contributes to raising awareness among the younger generations, who had often heard little about Kristallnacht.