Cigar factory Reiss- Mayer

Jewish cigar factories

With the establishment of the Grand Duchy of Baden, the legal status of the Jews gradually changed, and in 1862 they finally received full citizenship rights. This equality finally enabled them to choose their profession freely, and the Jewish citizens took advantage of their opportunity to gain a foothold as cigar manufacturers in Baden's burgeoning tobacco and cigar industry. They opened several factories and branches in our region, which was mainly characterized by small farmers. At the same time, they offered the wealthier families in the villages an additional source of income. There were several Jewish cigar factories in Mingolsheim from 1857 to 1938. For more than 70 years, the cigar factories were an important economic factor. The cigar factories existed until 1938, then the Jüdische owners were expropriated in the course of the „Arisierung“, i.e. they were forced to sell their businesses at a ridicule price.