Steenwijk
The first Jewish family to settle in Steenwijk did so prior to
1700. In about 1720, the city fathers of Steenwijk attempted to
stimulate trade by enticing additional Jews to live there. This
policy was unsuccessful at first although more Jews did move to
Steenwijk as the century progressed. At the same time, other Jews
encountered difficulties when trying to establish themselves in
Steenwijk; this continued even after the granting of civil rights
to Jews in 1796.
A Jewish cemetery located on the Schapendrift at the south of
nearby Noordwolde dates to approximately 1775. The
cemetery on the present-day Eesveenseweg in Steenwijk was
established in 1795 and was enlarged in 1807, 1860, and 1911.
At the outset of the nineteenth century, the Jews
of Steenwijk gathered for prayer in the home of one of their
numbers. In 1813, the community purchased a room in the
Gasthuisstraat, which they enlarged, renovated, and converted into
a synagogue in 1819. During the 1850's, conflicts over religious
reform led to a split in the community. The resolution of the
conflict and the reunification of the community were marked by the
construction of a new synagogue on the corner of the Gasthuisstraat
and the Kornputsingel.
During the first decades of the nineteenth century, Jewish
children in Steenwijk received their lessons in a class room in the
municipal school. The Jewish community built a school of its own in
1849 and opened a new schoolhouse adjacent to the synagogue in
1917.
The Steenwijk community was governed by a directorate and council
and included amongst its officials a treasurer for the collection
and distribution of aid to the Jews of Eretz Israel. Local
voluntary organizations included a burial society, a society for
the upkeep of the interior of the synagogue, and a fellowship for
the study of torah.
The Jews of Steenwijk enjoyed a decent standard of living. Heads
of households worked mostly in the trade in textiles and in the
meat business. One Jewish resident of Steenwijk was the owner of a
business trading in spices. A number of Steenwijk Jews held
positions in municipal and provincial government.
During the World War II German occupation of the Netherlands, the
Jews of Steenwijk were subjected to similar measures as Jews
elsewhere. In September 1942, a number of Steenwijk Jews were
imprisoned in a so-called work camp in the proximity of nearby
Staphorst. Unlike in many other places, approximately half the
Jewish population of Steenwijk was able to find hiding places in
which they managed to survive the war. The rest of the Jews of
Steenwijk were deported to Nazi death camps and murdered. The
synagogue building and its interior came through the war undamaged
despite having been used as a storage place. Even the Torah scrolls
and ceremonial objects remained untouched.
Jewish life in Steenwijk was resurrected for a short time after
the war. The synagogue building was sold in 1948 and eventually
razed. A number of ceremonial objects from the former synagogue
were donated to the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam. In 1964,
the Jewish community of Steenwijk was formally dissolved and merged
into the Jewish community at Zwolle.
The Jewish cemetery on the Eesveenseweg is now cared for by the
local authorities. A project involving the restoration of 180
gravestones in the cemetery was completed under the auspices of the
Beth Chaim Foundation in 2001. The house for the preparation of the
dead at the cemetery was rebuilt in 1985; its façade now
incorporates a stone in memory of the Jews of Steenwijk murdered
during the war.
In October 2007, at the corner of the Gasthuisstraat and the
Van den Kornputsingel, where the Steenwijk sysngogue was from 1870
till 1952 a copper placque ws unveiled.
Willemsoord
Willemsoord, a colony for the poor founded in Steenwijkerwold
during the 1820's, contained a quarter for Jewish residents, the
Jodenpol. The Jews of the quarter comprised a separate Jewish
community that existed from 1830 until 1890. The community had its
own synagogue, Jewish school and cemetery, the latter located on De
Pol, a street close to the present-day Prins Willem
Alexanderstraat. The cemetery is maintained by the municipality of
Steenwijk.
Oldemarkt and Kuinre
A few Jewish families resided in the nearby villages of Oldemarkt
and Kuinre during the nineteenth century.
Jewish population of Steenwijk and surroundings:
| 1795 | 32 |
| 1809 | 78 |
| 1840 | 284 |
| 1869 | 199 |
| 1899 | 224 |
| 1930 | 123 |
| 1951 | 23 |
Collectie en mediatheek
Chanoekia
1850-1900
object, chanoekia. maker, anoniem. materiaal, messing. datering, 1850=1900. plaats,
onbekend. hoogte, 116.0. breedte, 65.0. diepte, 24.0. collectie, Joods Historisch ...
Collectie > Museumstukken > 00247
meer treffers in Collectie > Museumstukken
Dossier
Dossiers (158) van de Commissie voor Oorlogsschade mbt 155 joodse
gemeentes (Amsterdam en mediene), 1945-1950.
Collectie > Documenten > 00005954
meer treffers in Collectie > Documenten
Portretfoto
1875 (ca.)
Portretfoto met drie onbekende dames (wellicht Frouwke de Beer), circa 1875.
Collectie > Fotos > 40012969
meer treffers in Collectie > Fotos
[Binnenland] : Benoemingen
Benoemingen door de Permanente Commissie in diverse schoolbesturen.
Collectie > Joodse pers > 20031865
meer treffers in Collectie > Joodse pers
Joden op De Pol 1820-1890 : een vergeten gemeenschap
2012
Joden op De Pol 1820-1890 : een vergeten gemeenschap.
Collectie > Literatuur > 12016921
