Jewish cemetery (Barchfeld)

The Jewish cemetery could be established by the Jewish community Barchfeld already in 1686. At that time, the landgravine Hedwig Sophie von Hessen gave her patron Jews a piece of land for a burial ground at the "Fischertor" located near the village. In 1714 the cemetery was extended for the first time. The Jews had to pay an annual fee of 2 talers as a hereditary lease. In addition, the burial fee for adults was 1 thaler 12 groschen, for children half the price. In 1741 the cemetery was fenced in. A second time the cemetery was enlarged in 1786 by a "sixteenth acre", a third time in 1803. In the course of the enlargements the annual ground rent was also increased in each case. A new plot of land was used as a burial ground since 1843. In 1898 a last enlargement was made. During the Nazi period many of the gravestones, especially the valuable ones from 1885 to 1936, were stolen by individual Barchfeld citizens and misused for personal purposes (foundations for new house construction, etc.). About two thirds of the gravestones disappeared. Only one gravestone from the 20th century was preserved (Elora Strauß, 1873-1936). After 1945 the remaining gravestones were put up again. Part of the old cemetery area was sold by the Jewish regional community in Thuringia to an adjoining neighbor. Only a partial area of the old cemetery in the size of about 3.50 ares is prepared as a cemetery today. This area is surrounded by a wooden fence. In 1999 82 gravestones as well as some stone bases and few grave borders without memorial stones were registered. Since 1984 the cemetery has been included in the list of protected monuments.