The Jewish Community of Trondheim
Historical Overview
By Olve Utne and Hanne & Sten Paltiel
The situation before 1851
Until 1814, the main rule was that Jews were not allowed to enter the country.
However, there were some exceptions-mainly for Sephardic Jews. With the Norwegian
Constitution of May 17, 1814, a total ban is issued and with a few modifications,
this ban remains until 1851. The Norwegian poet Henrik Wergeland played the main
rôle in the struggle towards lifting the ban. (For the situation before
1851, click here.)
1851 — §2 of the Constitution is modified, and Jews are allowed to
enter the country
The struggle towards changing §2 of the Constitution lead by Wergeland eventually
succedes, and in September 1851-six years after Wergeland's death, Jews are again
allowed to enter the country this time unconditionally and with full civil rights.
1880s — The first Jews arrive in Trondheim
1899-1925
-- St. Jørgensveita No. 7 becomes Trondheim's first synagogue
The first synagogue in Trondheim is inaugurated in St. Jørgensveita No.
7 in 1899 and remains in use until the new synagogue is inaugurated 26 years later.
The building also holds the cheider (religious school).
1900 — Census
In the 1900 census, 119 Jews are listed in Trondheim; most of them earn
their living as travelling merchants..
1905 — "Det Mosaiske Troessamfund i Trondhjem" is established
In 1905, the "The Mosaic Congregation in Trondhjem" is established as a non Lutheran
congregation sanctioned by the Norwegian state.
1925 — Inauguration of the current synagogue
DMT (the Jewish Community in Trondheim) reaches 326 individual members in 1920,
and the community decides to purchase a larger building. Arkitekt Christies gate
1B, which was originally erected in 1864 as the main building of the railway station
in Trondheim. DMT buys the building in 1924, and after a period of intense construction
work, the synagogue is finally inaugurated as an Orthodox synagogue on Tuesday,
October 13, 1925, one week after Simchat Torah 5686. In the 1930s, some of the
Jews move to other places, and in 1940, there were 260 individual members of the
DMT.
1940 — German invasion
Early in the morning of April 9, 1940, German troops invade Norway, and
soon, the German occupation is a fact of life. The same year, the Gestapo
demands to have a full list of DMT's members.
1941 — The German occupation force confiscates the synagogue
In April 1941, the synagogue is confiscated by the German occupation force. The
interior of the synagogue is severely damaged, as the building is used as a stable,
with a barber saloon in the womens' gallery. The benches are trown out the windows;
the stained glass Stars of David in the windows are destroyed and replaced by
swastikas; the candelabra are used for target practice.
1942 — The deportation
In 1940, the Gestapo demands to have the full list of the DMT's members. An increasing
number of Jewish men get arrested. In Jauary 1942, the Police Ministry issues
a decree demanding that all passports etc. belonging to Jews be stamped with a
"J".
Translation:
Decree
from
The Police Ministry
Stamping of Jewish legitimation papers a. o.
Legitimation papers, border dweller certificate, pass certificates and
military service certificates belonging to Jews must be stamped with a
"J" to be valid. The following are to be considered Jews according to
this decree:
1. Whoever is descended from at least 3 full-race grandparents, regardless
of which citizenship he might have. As a full Jew is defined any of
the grandparents who has been a member of the Jewish congregation.
2. As Jewish is also defined Jewish bastard that descends from 2
full Jewish grandparents:
a) When he belongs to the Jewish congregation when this decree is
issued, or if he becomes a member of the same at a later date.
b) When he upon the issuing of this decree is married to a Jew or
marries a Jew at a later date.
3. All members of the Mosaic Congregation are to be considered Jews.
Persons who are obliged to be in possession of a J-stamped legitimation
paper according to this decree must report to the Chief Constable or
constable who issued his legitimation papers to have them stamped.
Failure to do so will result in a fine or up to 3 months in jail.
Oslo, January 20, 1942
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Many manage to escape to Sweden. But on the 6-7 of October 1942, all remaining
Jewish men in Trondheim are arrested. On November 25, the women and children
are arrested and taken to the railway station, and everyone is deported to Auschwitz.
All in all 135 members of the Jewish Community are sent to Auschwitz during
the war. Five of them survive.
1945
— The war is over
In the first weeks after the war was over in May 1945, some Jews return
to Trondheim. At 4 PM on Tuesday, July 31, 1945, the first DMT meeting
after the war commences in the shop of H. Klein in Olav Trygvasons gt.
21 people are present. The estimate shows
that some 80-90 members of the community are in the area. Out of the 135 that
were sent to Auschwitz, 5 survived. After the war, the Jewish population soon
reaches 123 and has remained relatively stable since.
1947 — The synagogue is re-inaugurated
The synagogue which was severely desecrated during the war, is repaired, and the
re-inauguration takes place in 1947.
1997 — The Jewish Museum is established
Jacob Komissar (1922-1995) starts working with establishing a Jewish Museum
in Trondheim. A committee is appointed to continue the work. On Monday,
May 12, 1997, the museum is officially opened by the Trondheim Vice Mayor
Liv Sandven Rødland.
2000-2001 — Major redecoration and restoration project
From the summer of 2000, a major restoration project is in progress. This
project is financed by the Restitution Fund from the Norwegian Government.
2001 — Reopening of the community facilities
Autumn 2001 the newly restored community centre is officially reopened. It
includes a library and a multimedia centre.
Main sources
Folder from The Jewish Community in Trondheim
Photo of the synagogue in St. Jørgensveita -- The Jewish Museum,
The Jewish Community in Trondheim
Protocol for The Jewish Community in Trondheim, 1917-1933
Updated: May 23, 2002