The memorial of Judenburg

In the second half of the 19th century the Jewish population began to settle in Judenburg again, which was then one of the few cities, outside of Graz, which became home to a Jewish population. Within a short period of time, the infrastructure for religious and social purposes was built.

Most of the Jewish population back then came from Galicia (Eastern Europe), Hungary and Bohemia. The majority were traders that hardly made enough to live by what they made and only a few could manage to establish a safe position within the social order of Judenburg.

As already mentioned, the majority of the Jewish inhabitants of Judenburg worked in the field of trading. Over years, some of them were able to climb the social ladder. So did the families Gottlieb, Posamentier, Gruber, Zucker, Dachinger, Kiesel and Teicher. If they were able to raise their social status, the families were also able to participate in the social life of the city, as the following example shows. Wilhelm Gottlieb and Karl Zucker helped install the fire brigade, as well as, the predecessors of the Red Cross. Others were also part of the sports clubs.

During 1900 and 1938 many Jewish people decided to leave the region for Vienna or Graz due to antisemitic actions taken against them. Those were widely reported in the local press.

Aryanization and expulsion

Many Jews were able to flee before the Aryanization took place. Those who did not, lost everything they had once owned and were later expelled. The raids against the Jewish population in the aftermath of the Anschluss of Judenburg was well organized. People were held from purchasing their goods at Jewish stores as posters were hung in the displays saying “Kauf nicht bei Juden!” (engl. Don’t buy at Jews) or “Welches arische Schwein kauft noch bei Juden ein“ (engl. Which Arian pig is still buying at Jews) Those actions pressured the Jews into leaving, as did, threats to use violence against them.

Within a short period of the Nazis developed an elaborate system that helped exploit the Jewish population. This system was named ‘Aryanization’ and the word itself tried to play this whole process down. The goods which were taken from the Jewish were given to loyal and trusted party members for their support. Additionally, to that, the Arian middle class was supported and the situation for German traders was hugely improved through the Aryanization.

Not only was the Jewish population exploited, but the synagogue and the Jewish graveyard were destroyed. No trace of Jewish settlement should be found within the area of Aichfeld and beyond. These actions hindered any establishment of a memorial culture. In the spring of 1939, the Nazis declared that Judenburg was ‘judenrein’ – no Jewish traces could be found.

In the aftermath of 1945, the remembrance of the Jewish population that had lived around Judenburg was not intended or even established – neither on the societal nor on the political side. Thus, the history of the Judenburger Jewish population has not been addressed since.

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Dr. Michael Schiestl, Historian of the city of Judenburg