The Benary family (Benaryplatz)

The Benary family was a wealthy Jüdische family who lived in the 19th century. They became famous and influential through seed cultivation and gardening.

Ernst Benary married Bella Jonassohn and they had 7 children.

They owned 3 villas, the first was built in 1878, 2 more followed.

In 1843 Ernst Benary founded his art and commercial nursery. The company flourished.

However, anti-Semitic policies were no exception here either: the Benary company was Aryanized in 1938 and was given a National Socialist managing director.

After the war, the company was rebuilt in Hanover in 1946. In the GDR, the company was nationalized in 1951 and the family was expropriated without compensation. In 1952, the last remaining family members in Erfurt fled to the West.

Erfurt owes its reputation as a city of flowers to Ernst Benary. Later, he was even included in the book of famous Erfurt residents as a Jew.

There is also a square in Erfurt that was named Benaryplatz in his honor.