Jewish Community Center

The Jewish community house, built in the 18th century and acquired by the Jewish community after the opening of the Hanau ghetto, was located on the property, as well as the Jewish community school since 1890. The community house itself played a decisive role. The fact that the community house was acquired was an important stage in the development of the community. It was a step from isolation in the ghetto to becoming an emancipated part of the urban community. But a community house also strengthens a community in other ways. As a place of retreat, the community could be among themselves here and practice their religion freely, which was becoming increasingly difficult in public due to growing anti-Semitism. For example, a modern mikvah was built with the community center, which strengthened the public presence of the Jews.

In the midday hours of November 10, 1938, the Reich-wide controlled actions against Jews also began in Hanau. Several hundred people marched hooting to the synagogue in Nordstraße, demolished it and finally set it on fire, whereupon it burned down to the surrounding walls. As a result, the Jews had to retreat to the community center to hold services. A few days after the start of the war, the Jews who remained in Hanau were forcibly evicted from their homes by eviction squads and forced to live in so-called "Jewish houses" so that they could be better controlled. In addition to the Jewish community center, a house at Langstraße 53 and one at Marktstraße 28 were used for this purpose before the last Jews from Hanau were also deported in 1942.

The building had already become the property of the city of Hanau when it was destroyed in the bombing raids of World War II. It has not been rebuilt since. Today, the property is occupied by residential and commercial buildings.