Former students visited the synagogue and remembered Jewish life

Former students visited the synagogue and remembered Jewish life

On October 27, 2025, the former students from the 1959/60 class of the Birkenfeld/Karbach/Billingshausen school association met for an unforgettable class reunion in Ursprung. After a decade of memories and stories, the mood at the castle parking lot in Ursprung was exuberant and excited.

A highlight of the meeting was the visit to the neighboring synagogue, which was introduced by the well-known guide Sabine Eckert. The participants were touched by both the impressive rooms and the stories about the Jews of Urspring. One consensus became clear: it is of great importance not to let the fate of the Jewish communities be forgotten. This shows how deep the roots of Jewish life run here in the Main-Spessart district, where there has been a Jewish community for centuries.

History of the Jewish communities

Jewish history in the region goes back over 700 years. In the 13th and 14th centuries, Jewish communities settled in places such as Arnstein, Gemünden and Karlstadt. However, riots and persecutions led to massive displacement from the centers at the time. Over the centuries, Jews found new homes in knightly and other places where they were able to live mostly peacefully until the horrors of the 20th century.

Legal equality for Jews came at the beginning of the 19th century, while national and social life in the decades that followed were characterized by various challenges and achievements. Unfortunately, the Jewish community ended with the deportation on the 24th/25th. April 1942, when many of its members were deported to extermination camps. Despite this dark past, “stone testimonies of Jewish life” have been preserved in many places today, reminding us of the eventful history.

A moving gathering

After visiting the synagogue, the alumni went to the adventure farm in Wiesengrund, where, despite the rainy weather, a happy get-together took place in a rustic half-timbered hut. Old stories and pictures were exchanged over a piece of sheet cake and a cup of coffee. 18 of the 36 former students were present, and the loss of ten colleagues who had already died was noted with regret.

The organizers Irene Weimann and Sieglinde Franz were praised for their great effort. The wish was expressed to meet again in five years at the latest to continue the tradition of remembering and celebrating together.

Such gatherings are not only a celebration of the past, they are also a way to keep the memory of history alive. Workshops and excursions to Jewish communities offered in the region are ideal for learning more about Jewish history and can be found on the website House of Bavarian History be explored.