The Arbeitskreis Landsynagoge Roth (The Society for the Rural Synagogue in Roth): History and Objectives
In Germany, an Arbeitskreis (lit. “work circle” - best translated as “society”) is an organization created for the purpose of carrying out a specific project. An Arbeitskreis is defined by its goals, that is, by what it is meant to accomplish. The Arbeitskreis Landsynagoge Roth was founded on January 27th, 1996, on the anniversary of the freeing of Auschwitz. The project had its beginnings at the end of the 1980’s, when a group of individuals began intensive work for the preservation of the synagogue in Roth. They began researching the history of the synagogue and the Jewish community there, and they initiated first contacts with survivors in the USA.
The Charter of the Arbeitskreis defines the purpose of the group. This purpose includes preserving the synagogue as a memorial site, and at the same time administering the site as a place of learning and for cultural activities. The intention is that the synagogue be a space to remember and to reflect on past events – on the fate of the Jewish Community in and around Roth. At the same time the building should be a living forum where young and old can learn about all different aspects of Jewish culture then and now. Although the charter also indicates the intent to set up a museum on the site, a museum as such has not been created, partly because the needs of a museum would conflict with the requirements for preserving the site as a memorial. The charter specifically mentions cooperative work with groups sharing similar goals.
After the ceremonial opening of the renovated synagogue on March 10th, 1998, the Arbeitskreis signed a license agreement with the District of Marburg-Biedenkopf. The group works to achieve its goals within the context of this agreement: The owner of the synagogue allows the Arbeitskreis to use the synagogue for its activities, and the Arbeitskreis takes on the function of coordinating the work of people interested in working in the building – particularly schoolchildren and historical, religious, and/or cultural institutions and clubs, as well as people working individually in these areas.
The license agreement states that activities in the synagogue should strengthen interest in local history and contribute to spreading knowledge about the Jewish religion and Jewish history. By creating a place to reflect on the crimes against humanity in the recent history of Germany, these activities should promote tolerance between people of different backgrounds.
The Arbeitskreis currently has about 40 members. Membership dues are 20 euro per year for individuals, 30 euro for couples.
Charter (in German) PDF
Members of the managing board:
Dr. Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch, chairperson
Annemarie Schlag, 1st deputy chairperson
Laurence Bryant, 2nd deputy chairperson
Friedel Schultheis, secretary
Werner Schlag, treasurer
Photo by F. Schultheis of some of the members in summer 2023.
The Arbeitskreis Landsynagoge Roth has received several awards for its efforts:
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2003 Otto-Ubbelohde-Preis des Landkreises Marburg-Biedenkopf
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2005 Hessischer Denkmalschutzpreis
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2006 Förderpreis Hessische Heimatgeschichte des Landes Hessen
Presentation of the Hessian Homeland History Award of the State of Hesse 2006 by State Minister Udo Corts to the Chairwoman Gabriele C. Schmitt. On the left hand side the Head of the Hess. Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Prof. Gerd Weiß - Photo credits: Friedel Schultheis, Weimar-Roth
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2011 Landesehrenbrief von Hessen
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2011 Ehrenplakette des Landkreis Marburg-Biedenkopf
The long-time chair of the Arbeitskreis, Gabriele C. Schmitt, was honored for her valuable contributions twice in 2011 with a Letter of Commendation (Ehrenbrief) from the State of Hesse and with a Badge of Honor (Ehrenplakette) from the District of Marburg-Biedenkopf
Gabriele C. Schmitt as she receives the District of Marburg-Biedenkopf’s Badge of Honor from District Administrator Robert Fischbach at the ceremony celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of the Arbeitskreis in 2011. - Photo credits: Otto Weimar, Weimar-Roth
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2015 Jakobsmuschel des Arbeitskreises Dörfliche Kultur e.V. Kirchhain
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2023 Ehrenbrief des Landes Hessen
Oberhessische Presse from 27.11.2023
Letter of honour for two deserving Marburg residents
With great commitment to the Roth country synagogue and old fruit varieties
FOTO: STEFANIE INGWERSEN/STADT MARBURG
Mayor Nadine Bernshausen (second from left) presented Dr Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch and Dr Norbert Clement (right) with a letter of honour from the state of Hesse for their many years of voluntary work.
MARBURG: Dr Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch is committed to the preservation of the Roth country synagogue and the culture of remembrance for more than 25 years. Dr Norbert Clement is highly committed to the preservation of old fruit varieties. Both receive for their very different but very valuable voluntary commitment the Letter of Honour of the State of Hesse from the hands of the Mayor - Nadine Bernshausen.
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"The social development that we have would often not be possible without voluntary work.
Volunteering covers all areas of life and is also incredibly complex and diverse in our town.
Countless people people are passionately committed to areas that are particularly close to their hearts," said Mayor Nadine Bernshausen. In Dr Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch and Dr Norbert Clement, she was now able to present two Marburg residents with the honour from the state of Hesse, "who are committed to history, preservation and remembrance in very different ways and both of whom have made a very valuable years have made a very valuable contribution to our society".
Dr Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch was a founding member of the working group of the
Roth country synagogue. She was chairwoman of the association from 1996 to 1998 and accompanied
the restoration of the Roth country synagogue. "Without her commitment, the former synagogue
former synagogue could not be used as a memorial site today," said Bernshausen. Wenz-Haubfleisch has been Chairwoman of the association since 2011.
The honouree organises exhibitions, establishes contacts and connections
with, for example, the Society for Christian-Jewish Co-operation, the State Working
and remembrance initiative on the Nazi era and the Muslim community in Marburg.
In 2013, she organised the initiative to lay stumbling blocks (Stolpersteine).She also wrote the commemorative brochure "Names and Fates".
Dr Norbert Clement is committed to the preservation of old fruit varieties like no other person.
He has been Chairman of the Marburg Orchard Friends Association since 2019
and was already chairman of the predecessor association "Association for the
promotion of historical fruit varieties in Görzhausen". Mayor Bernshausen said: "It is thanks to you
It is thanks to them that a cultural asset is preserved with old fruit varieties." Cle-
ment ensures that these varieties can be bred - which is also an important contribution
to overcoming the challenges of climate change.
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2024 "Kreislöwe" des Landkreises Marburg-Biedenkopf
Oberhessische Presse from 14.11.2024
Commitment to Jewish life and a culture of remembrance: Dr. Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch receives the Marburg-Biedenkopf "Kreislöwen"
Marburg-Biedenkopf. A lively venue and at the same time a historic memorial to expelled and murdered Jews. This is what characterizes the former Roth country synagogue, which the working group of the same name is committed to preserving and using. The name Dr. Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch is closely associated with the association, as the long-standing chairwoman has been committed to preserving Jewish history in the region for decades. She has now been honored for her voluntary work with the “Kreislöwen”, the highest award of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district.
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Dr. Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch is a founding member of the working group, which was established in 1996, was chairwoman until 1998 and has been chairwoman again since 2011. She was involved in the restoration of the country synagogue in the early years and also worked with various institutions through the association. These include the Society for Christian-Jewish Cooperation in Marburg, the “Landesgemeinschaft Gedenkstätten und Erinnerungsinitiativen zur NS-Zeit” and the Muslim community of Marburg.
Honor for “bridge builder between religions”
"Dr. Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch is an important bridge builder between religions. The former country synagogue is an important extracurricular place of learning in the district and also serves as a memorial to the terrible crimes of the National Socialists,” said District Administrator Jens Womelsdorf during the tribute on Tuesday, November 12, at the Marburg District Office. The memories of these crimes, as well as of Jewish life in the district, must be upheld, especially in times of social division, when tolerance, understanding and togetherness are all the more important, said the District Administrator. Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch is committed to this.
District Administrator Jens Womelsdorf awards Dr. Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch the “Kreislöwen” in the presence of friends and companions of the honoree.
Quelle: Landkreis Marburg-Biedenkopf
She organizes commemorative events and guided tours of the country synagogue and the Jewish cemetery in Roth, which she also leads herself in both German and English. She also campaigned for the virtual reconstruction of the synagogue, so that today the interior of the building before its destruction can be viewed using VR glasses. In 2013, she initiated the laying of stumbling stones in Roth to commemorate the fate of those people who were persecuted, murdered, deported, expelled or driven to suicide during the National Socialist era.
Commitment to tolerance, democracy and human dignity
Annegret Wenz-Haubfleisch has also been in contact with survivors and descendants of Jewish families from Roth for over 40 years, only a few of whom were able to flee Nazi Germany to the USA or South Africa, for example. Together with the descendants, who are regular guests in Roth, the association is also committed to coming to terms with the history of Jewish fellow citizens. The chairwoman passed on the words of praise and thanks directly to her fellow campaigners, who have been with her for a long time: “This award is for the work of the entire association, I am only accepting it on behalf of the many people in the working group, many of whom have been shaping the association's work with great personal commitment for decades,” she made clear.
However, she herself is very concerned that xenophobia and anti-Semitism are on the rise again today: “The longer it is since the Nazi era, the more caution is needed to ensure that the memory of it does not fade and that the lessons learned from it are also passed on to younger generations.” Tolerance, democracy and human dignity should not be taken for granted and must be continuously promoted politically and socially.
Translated by Deepl free
The Arbeitskreis has been networking with other groups locally and regionally since it was founded in 1996.
Cooperation with Schools
The Comprehensive School in Niederwalgern and the Ricarda Huch School in Giessen
The Comprehensive School in Niederwalgern has been involved in on-site learning at the synagogue from the very beginning. Teachers and students have worked together with us on several projects. Just to name a couple: they excavated the mikveh adjacent to the synagogue under the supervision of the Landesamtes für Denkmalpflege (Hessian State Department for Monument Protection) in 1996. A few years later, using pottery and glass shards collected during the excavation, they created a mosaic in the courtyard of the synagogue. Schoolclasses regularly come to the synagogue for on-site lessons. (For more information, please see Classes and
For a few years now, we have been working with the Ricarda Huch School in Giessen as they develop their school partnership with the Eldad High School in Netanya in Northern Israel. Students grades 10-12 from both countries participate in exchange programs, spending a week with German or Israeli host families and exploring selected topics in-depth. These topics grow out of the study of the Shoah (the Holocaust) and its history, but the focus is on the future and developing ethical awareness and character. During the week in Germany, the students always visit the synagogue in Roth. This rural synagogue provides an example of what occurred in small villages throughout Germany under the Nazis. The building bears physical witness to the development of our awareness of our own history: First the building was used for completely different purposes than its original intent as a place of worship. This reflected the repression of facts and an unwillingness to acknowledge history. Later we observe a conscious reappraisal of what happened and the establishment of a culture of remembering, which is reflected in the restoration of the building.
Now and then we also oversee special project days in the synagogue for groups from the school.
Collaborative Work
Hessische Landeszentrale für politische Bildung
(HLZ, Hessian State Center for Political Education)
The Monument Department at the HLZ oversees and promotes memorial work in the State of Hesse under the direction of Dr. Monika Hölscher in Wiesbaden.
Twice annually the HLZ holds memorial meetings at a one of the monuments in the state, organizing presentations about current memorial work and guided tours of the various memorial sites both for members of initiatives and those involved full-time at the sites. These meetings also provide a forum for those active in the field to meet, share their experiences, and exchange ideas for future work. Members of our Arbeitskreis, especially the managing board, regularly participate in these meetings.
Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Gedenkstätten- und Erinnerungsinitiativen zur NS-Zeit in Hessen
(LAG, All-State Cooperative for Memorial and Commemorative Initiatives related to the time of the Nazi Regime in Hessen)
Members of LAG include clubs and initiatives made up of volunteer workers as well as the directors of full-time memorial sites. LAG runs a website and the group has produced a traveling exhibition and a brochure. Members of LAG also meet at events organized by HLZ. The group is networked throughout Germany and is a forum for exchanging ideas on memorial work on a national level. The group is led by a council of representatives.
Jüdische Gemeinde Marburg and Gesellschaft für christliche-jüdische Zusammenarbeit Marburg
(The Jewish Community in Marburg and The Association for Christian-Jewish Cooperation in Marburg)
The Arbeitskreis has been in contact with the Jewish Community in Marburg from the very beginning. We want authentic Judaism as it is lived out in our midst today to inform our work and to be supported by what we do. Amnon Orbach, the chairperson of the Jewish Community, is a member of the Arbeitskreis and supports its work in various ways, especially at memorial activities.
Our collaborative work with the association for Christian-Jewish Cooperation is also very important to us. Together with their book club, we organize a book reading with the author in the synagogue annually.
Marburger Geschichtswerkstatt e.V. (Marburg Historical Society)
We have been working closely with the Marburg Historical Society from the very beginning. One of their goals is to research the History of the Jewish Community in and around Marburg, as is evidenced by the plethora of publications they have published on this topic. The Society is a corporate member of our Arbeitskreis, and several individuals are members of both groups.
Förderkreis Synagoge in Vöhl e.V. (Society for the Synagogue in Vöhl)
We have been working in close partnership with the Society in Vöhl for many years and completed various projects together. The dancing instructor Barbara Küpfer has offered courses on Israeli dances in both the Roth and the Vöhl synagogues after the summer holidays for many years now.
Other groups that we work with or are members of
Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie e.V. (Against Forgetting – For Democracy)
Förderverein des Fritz-Bauer-Instituts Frankfurt (Fundraising Society for the Fritz Bauer Institute in Frankfurt)
Bündnis gegen Rechts Marburg (Alliance against the Far-right in Marburg)
Region Marburger Land e.V. (Society for the Development and Promotion of the Countryside around Marburg)
(Note from the Translator: The English translations carry no official weight.)
How Can I Get Involved?
The members of the Arbeitskreis work closely together. At the same time some members have taken on a specific duty or have found special niches to enrich the overall potential of the group and broaden the range of offerings. Meetings are held once a month, usually in the town hall in Roth. At these meetings, we plan and prepare upcoming activities, discuss ideas for future projects, determine what the next year’s schedule will be, and assign responsibilities and duties.
Michael Weller, Dr. Frances Schwarzenberger-Kesper, and Judith Oehler are responsible for educational outreach. They conduct the guided tours of the synagogue for schoolchildren.
Annemarie Schlag’s focus is Jewish History in Fronhausen. She gives guided tours of Fronhausen and its Jewish cemetery.
Friedel Schultheis and Otto Weimar are our photographers.
The managing board takes care of public relations, especially coordinating work with journalists and newspapers.
Most members give tours of the synagogue and Roth.
The synagogue is regularly open to the public from 2-5 pm on the second and fourth Sunday of every month from May to September. All members help out with the opening hours, usually in groups of two.
Individual members choose for themselves how to get involved in activities and memorial ceremonies.
We do rely on everyone to lend a helping hand when it’s time to get the synagogue ready for an event – everything from setting up the chairs to cleaning up afterwards.
We go on an education trip together every year. This keeps us up-to-date on relevant topics and helps bring us together as a group. We often visit sites of Jewish life and/or Nazi persecution in other rural areas or in larger cities like Berlin, Hamburg, and Cologne. We also take day trips to attend the memorial services and activities of other groups in our area.
We’d be happy to have you join our efforts in any of these areas! If you have any ideas or would like to get involved, please visit us when the synagogue is open or come talk to us at one of our events.
Membership application (in German) PDF
You can also contact members of the managing board directly.