Waldbrunn

Strümpfelbrunn as the seat of the municipal administration, is the main town of the municipality Waldbrunn.

In Strümpfelbrunn, which belonged to the Electoral Palatinate until the beginning of the 19th century, there was a Jewish community until 1938/40. Its origins date back to the time of the 18th century and the Jewish community was founded in the 18th century. For the first time 1757 Jewish inhabitants are mentioned in the place.

The best known family, which shaped Jewish life in the village for decades, was the Marx family, as can also be seen from the obituaries of representatives of this family reproduced below. The most prominent representative of the family was Rabbi Dr. Lehmann Marx, who was rabbi in Berlin, from 1871 head of the religious school of the Israelite Religious Society or unofficial rabbi in Darmstadt (from 1897 officially Orthodox Rabbinate Darmstadt II). His son Dr. Moses Marx succeeded him in office.

The Jewish families lived mainly from the cattle trade. Until its destruction in November 1938, the inn "Zum Löwen", widely popular with Jewish families, also existed.

In 1933 19 Jewish residents were still counted. During the November pogrom in 1938 there were severe riots and acts of violence, in the course of which the synagogue and the Jewish inn "Zum Löwen" were burned down.  Only after that, several of the Jewish inhabitants made efforts to emigrate from the place. On September 1, 1939 there were still 16 Jewish inhabitants counted. Three of them were able to emigrate to the USA, one to Argentina; two moved to other cities, one died in the village. The last eight Jewish inhabitants were deported to Gurs on October 22, 1940.