Unique project in Schleswig-Holstein: Making Jewish cemeteries visible!

Unique project in Schleswig-Holstein: Making Jewish cemeteries visible!

On May 13, 2025, the “Stone Witnesses” project, which is dedicated to upgrading and making Jewish cemeteries in Schleswig-Holstein more visible, will officially continue. The state is home to 22 Jewish cemeteries, which represent both significant evidence of Jewish life and important cultural landmarks. These cemeteries, referred to by the Jewish community as “Bet Olam” (House of Eternity), provide a unique perspective on the history and culture of the region’s Jewish community.

The Jewish cemetery in Kiel is part of this project and includes gravestones that are between three and 173 years old. The grave inscriptions are not only a homage to the deceased members of the community, but also an important documentation tool for Jewish life, which has been interrupted several times over the centuries but has always been revived. Dr. Helge-Fabien Hertz, who leads the initiative, emphasizes the immense value of these cemeteries, which survived the Nazi era and are crucial for remembrance and education. Dr. Gerhard Ulrich also emphasizes the role of cemeteries as places of remembrance.

Project description and implementation

The “Stone Witnesses” project aims to increase the visibility of Jewish life in the cityscape and is led by Dr. Hertz implemented it in collaboration with 12 students from the Christian Albrechts University in Kiel. Each of the 22 Jewish cemeteries in Schleswig-Holstein will be equipped with uniformly designed signs containing information about their history and rules of conduct for visitors. These signs, often with QR codes, allow those interested to learn more about the history of the cemetery and the communities connected to it.

The project is funded by various partners, including local municipalities, foundations and the Kiel University Fund for Teaching Innovation. The project is also supported by the Schleswig-Holstein State Office for Monument Preservation and the local Jewish communities. City President Bettina Aust praised the students for their commitment and emphasized the importance of remembrance work, which is promoted by such projects.

Importance of cemeteries

Jewish cemeteries in Germany are an important cultural and religious heritage. Many of these cemeteries owe their preservation to the fact that they were not completely destroyed during the Nazi era, although many were desecrated. In Schleswig-Holstein there are important cemeteries not only in Kiel, but also in cities such as Ahrensburg, Bad Segeberg and Lübeck-Moisling. These cemeteries each have their own story that can be told by the people who rest there.

• Ahrensburg: Friedhof angelegt 1822, erste Bestattung 1823, unter Denkmalschutz seit 2023.
• Bad Segeberg: Alter Friedhof seit 1792, erste Beisetzung 1801, letzter Grabstein 1930.
• Lübeck-Moisling: Großzügigster Friedhof in Schleswig-Holstein, über 1.000 Gräber, unter Denkmalschutz seit 2002.

The project has already led to other activities such as clean-ups and surrounding cemeteries to improve access and reduce barriers. Thanks to these efforts, the aim is to raise awareness among the local population and visitors about the special history and importance of Jewish cemeteries. The installation of the information signs is seen as the first step in a broader process to keep the cultural heritage of the Jewish community in Schleswig-Holstein alive.

Overall, this project demonstrates the continued relevance and need to preserve the stories that Jewish cemeteries tell in society's memory and make them accessible to new generations in order to promote a deeper appreciation for the diversity and cultural heritage in Germany. It is a poignant reminder of the past and a committed call for attention to the future.

Further information on this important topic can be found on the website of the University of Kiel, State government of Schleswig-Holstein and Wikipedia be retrieved.