Hannah Arendt

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Hannah Arendt is characterized by her topicality in terms of social debate and controversial thinking. Due to a donation of Arendt's personal belongings to the German Historical Museum, the DHM realized an exhibition entitled "Hannah Arendt and the 20th Century". Parts of the exhibition are published online on the museum's website. In this her person as well as the 20th century are thematized, it offers the possibility to follow her subjective view on this time and to get to know her life.

Gustav Wetzlar (Wetterau Society)

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Gustav Wetzlar was born in Hanau on July 3, 1799. He belonged to the first generation of Jews who benefited from the revolution of 1848/1849. He attended a grammar school in Frankfurt. Later he studied in Marburg, Göttingen and Vienna. From 1822 he was a doctor in Hanau and remained in Hanau until his death. He was also a member of the Judenschaftllichen Vorsteheramt in Hanau. In addition, he was a director of the Wetterauische Gesellschaft, which still exists today.

Gravestone of Dr. Otto Schwabe

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He was born on October 2, 1894. Otto was a well-known and popular Jewish doctor in Hanau. His practice was located at Hammerstraße 6. If someone was not in a financial position to pay for treatment, Otto Schwabe waived payment. He even made house calls, which was very unusual at that time, but was gratefully accepted. At Christmas he even gave presents to his poorer patients. It was more important to him to help people than to earn money. His family belonged to one of the older Jewish families of Hanau. The family name first appeared in 1689 under "Haus Zum Schwaben".

Tomb of Isidor (Isi) Berberich

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Isidor Berberich was born on June 19, 1893. He is also counted among the patriotic Jews. He fought for Germany in World War I and was killed near Bertrix on August 22, 1944. His parents had a cenotaph made for him at the family grave. In the former synagogue, which was unfortunately destroyed, hung a memorial plaque for the Jewish Hanau soldiers who died in the First World War. Isidor Berberich's name was also on this plaque. In Bertrix there is a memorial for the fallen French and German soldiers, among whom was Isidor.

Marcus Canthal (Change in tombstone design)

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With the Enlightenment and the Revolution of 1848/1849, the Jews adapted more and more to society. At first there were gravestones inscribed with Hebrew from the front and Latin letters from the back. Eventually the old traditions were forgotten. Now the tombstones were inscribed only in Latin letters and the deceased wanted to write things, such as their professional position of which they were proud, on the tombstone, which was previously frowned upon and unthinkable. However, society also became more open to Jewish patriots.

Grave counters from the priestly family Cohen

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In April, the French soldiers entrenched near Hanau. While digging, they destroyed graves and even partially threw the bones on the path that led to the cemetery. Again, the community intervened to prevent worse and asked forgiveness from the deceased. They received permission to move the bones to another location in the cemetery. Since a cohen (priestly family) was not allowed to walk over graves, but the soldiers had already thrown the bones on the path, this path had to be paved. This venerable behavior shows how important the Jewish cemetery must be for the Jews in their faith.

Tahara House

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During the Seven Years War Hanau was occupied by French troops. These threw out in March 1758 a rampart over the cemetery, which was in the way. The municipality was able to intervene at the last second and received permission to move the gravestones and dismantle the tahara house (= mortuary) so that even greater damage could be avoided. However, the fence and gate had already been destroyed and the excavated earth for the embankment was thrown out over the gravestones, which were now lying flat.

Jewish cemetery

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The Jewish cemetery in Hanau is located today between Mühltorstraße and Jahnstraße. He was not the first Jewish cemetery, however, the previous cemetery was destroyed in the course of the plague (mid-14th century) and it is notknown where this stood.

Moritz Daniel Oppenheim

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Since 2015, the monument „Moritz and the dancing picture“ by Robert Schad and Pascal Coupot, can be found on the Freiheitsplatz. Furthermore, you can find a copper statue of Oppenheim. Moritz Daniel Oppenheim was the first Jewish artist with an academic background.

Moritz Daniel Oppenheim was born in the Hanau Ghetto and lived there until he was 20 years old. Due to the destruction during the Second World War, it is not known where his house was.