In Hebenshausen existed since the 17th century a Jewish community, 1603/06 is first reported by Jews*Jüdinnen in the place. By 1861 the number of resident Jews had grown to 104 out of a total population of 494 (1864). From then on, the number of Jewish members decreased steadily due to people moving away. In 1925, only 6 of the 388 inhabitants in the village were of Jewish faith. Already at the beginning of the 20th century the number of members was no longer sufficient to conduct services in the synagogue in Hebenshausen. The Jewish community of Hebenshausen was therefore integrated into the community of Witzenhausen, but continued to exist under the leadership of Abraham Hesse. The second synagogue, built in Hebenshausen in about 1856, is still preserved today and is a listed building. About one and a half kilometers from the village there is also a Jewish cemetery, which was established in 1736 and used until 1922. In addition, there was a religious school and a Mikwe (ritual bath) in Hebenshausen.
The association local history Hebenshausen has gone on a search for traces and was able to determine several families resident in Hebenshausen and their career. Thus Lars Klein (board member of the association local history) writes:
"Around 1900 there were still eight jüdische families in Hebenshausen:
Families Isak Grunsfeld (Viehhändler)
Julius Rosenstein (cattle and horse trade, 1913 to Göttingen moved)
Moritz Katz (horse trade, moved to Witzenhausen in 1898)
Meier and Ruben Hecht (stationery trade) Julius Schwabe (fur trade)
Kugelmann (moved to Witzenhausen, manufactured goods business there)
Abraham Hesse (fabric and fur trade).
After 1933 (six Jewish residents), the few Jews still living in Hebenshausen also suffered from the increasing disenfranchisement and reprisals. The six Jewish villagers were temporarily taken to Kassel, but were able to return after a few days. In 1943, the Kugelmann siblings and Brüder Hecht were forcibly relocated to Witzenhausen and deported from there. After 1945: Abraham Hesse (1867-1956), who was married to a non-Jewish woman, Elise Hesse, survived the persecution. He was buried after his death in 1956 in the general cemetery of Hebenshausen."
On the page heimatgeschichte-hebenshausen.de under the item „victims of persecution“ you will find the names and dates of those people who were born in Hebenshausen and murdered during the period of National Socialism.
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