Kibbutz Buchenwald

The Kibbutz Buchenwald, which had previously been located on a farm in Eggendorf in Thüringen, was a Hachscharastätte founded by 16 Üsurvivors of the Kibbutz Buchenwald on 03 June 1945. On June 26, due to the Soviet occupation, the location changed to Gehringshof in the American sector. The group was organized collectively and consisted of religious and secular, mainly German and Polish youth. Some were convinced Zionists, others were more pragmatic. Before the first group of 80 people made their aliyah to Palestine in September 1945. During these two months, the Gehringshof had become a center of Jewish life in the area because of its Friday Oneg Shabbat parties. The group that inhabited the Gehringshof as Kibbutz Buchenwald after the first Aliya was composed mainly of members of the Po’alei Agudat Israel movement and members of the Hechalutz Pioneering Zionist Centre under the leadership of Arthur Posnanski. the Kibbutz Buchenwald existed first under the same name, later as Kibbutz Netzer Sereni in Palästina and später Israel further.