Siebengemeinden
Encyclopedia
The Siebengemeinden were 7 Jewish communities located in Eisenstadt
and its surrounding area. The groups are known as Sheva Kehillot in Hebrew
.
The communities were established after 1670, when Paul I, 1st Prince Esterházy of Galántha
accepted the Jews
that had been expelled from Vienna
by Leopold I
.
The Siebengemeinden (now in Austria
n Burgenland
, which formerly belonged to Hungary
) were composed of communities in Eisenstadt
, Mattersdorf (now Mattersburg
), Kobersdorf
, Lackenbach
, Frauenkirchen
, Kittsee
, and Deutschkreutz
(Tzeilem). All together there numbered around 3,000 Jews, who were predominantly of Orthodox Jewish
persuasion.
The most pious lived in Mattersdorf and Deutschkreutz, where there were important yeshiva
s. Another community developed in Mattersdorf under the leadership of the great Rabbi Moses Sofer
(1763–1839). All seven communities fell victim to the persecution of the Jews under the government of the National Socialists
.
See also:
Eisenstadt
- Politics :The current mayor of Eisenstadt is Andrea Fraunschiel ÖVP.The district council is composed as follows :* ÖVP: 17 seats* SPÖ: 8 seats* Austrian Green Party: 2 seats* FPÖ: 2 seats- Castles and palaces :...
and its surrounding area. The groups are known as Sheva Kehillot in Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
.
The communities were established after 1670, when Paul I, 1st Prince Esterházy of Galántha
Paul I, 1st Prince Esterházy of Galántha
Paul I, Prince Esterházy of Galántha was the first Prince Esterházy of Galántha from 1687 to 1713, Palatine of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1681 to 1713, and an Imperial Field Marshal...
accepted the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
that had been expelled from Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
by Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
.
The Siebengemeinden (now in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Burgenland
Burgenland
Burgenland is the easternmost and least populous state or Land of Austria. It consists of two Statutarstädte and seven districts with in total 171 municipalities. It is 166 km long from north to south but much narrower from west to east...
, which formerly belonged to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
) were composed of communities in Eisenstadt
Eisenstadt
- Politics :The current mayor of Eisenstadt is Andrea Fraunschiel ÖVP.The district council is composed as follows :* ÖVP: 17 seats* SPÖ: 8 seats* Austrian Green Party: 2 seats* FPÖ: 2 seats- Castles and palaces :...
, Mattersdorf (now Mattersburg
Mattersburg
Mattersburg is a town in Burgenland, Austria. It is the administrative center of the District of Mattersburg and home to a Bundesliga football team, SV Mattersburg.- Location :...
), Kobersdorf
Kobersdorf
Kobersdorf is an Austrian market town in Oberpullendorf, Burgenland.-Geography:Kobersdorf is located in Middle Burgenland and is divided into the districts of Kobersdorf, Lindgraben, and Oberpetersdorf...
, Lackenbach
Lackenbach
Lackenbach is an Austrian municipality in the District of Oberpullendorf, Burgenland.- Geography :Lackenbach lies in the Oberpullendorf District, the Middle Burgenland and is not divided into any districts.- History :...
, Frauenkirchen
Frauenkirchen
Frauenkirchen is an Austrian town in the District of Neusiedl am See, Burgenland.- History :The community of Frauenkirchen, like the rest of Burgenland, belonged to Hungary until 1920/21. From 1898 onwards, it was forced to change its name to the Hungarian Fertőboldogasszony because of the...
, Kittsee
Kittsee
Kittsee is an Austrian municipality in the District of Neusiedl am See, Burgenland.- Geography :Kittsee lies 32 km northeast from Neusiedl am See, on the Slovak border opposite Bratislava, with crossings into the Bratislava suburb of Jarovce...
, and Deutschkreutz
Deutschkreutz
Deutschkreutz is an Austrian market town in the District of Oberpullendorf, Burgenland. Its Hungarian name is Sopronkeresztúr , in Hebrew it is called Zelem , .- Geography :...
(Tzeilem). All together there numbered around 3,000 Jews, who were predominantly of Orthodox Jewish
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
persuasion.
The most pious lived in Mattersdorf and Deutschkreutz, where there were important yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
s. Another community developed in Mattersdorf under the leadership of the great Rabbi Moses Sofer
Moses Sofer
Moses Schreiber, known to his own community and Jewish posterity as Moshe Sofer, also known by his main work Chasam Sofer, , , was one of the leading Orthodox rabbis of European Jewry in the first half of the nineteenth century...
(1763–1839). All seven communities fell victim to the persecution of the Jews under the government of the National Socialists
National Socialist German Workers Party
The National Socialist German Workers' Party , commonly known in English as the Nazi Party, was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. Its predecessor, the German Workers' Party , existed from 1919 to 1920...
.
Data from the 1910 Census
- Alsókismartonhegy (UnterbergUnterbergThe Unterberg is a prominent summit, high, in the Gutenstein Alps in southern Lower Austria. It is located about 10 km south of Hainfeld and is the westernmost and highest summit of a loose chain of mountains that include the Hocheck and the Kieneck ....
, now part of EisenstadtEisenstadt- Politics :The current mayor of Eisenstadt is Andrea Fraunschiel ÖVP.The district council is composed as follows :* ÖVP: 17 seats* SPÖ: 8 seats* Austrian Green Party: 2 seats* FPÖ: 2 seats- Castles and palaces :...
): 276 Jews (79.3% of the town or village) - Lakompak (LackenbachLackenbachLackenbach is an Austrian municipality in the District of Oberpullendorf, Burgenland.- Geography :Lackenbach lies in the Oberpullendorf District, the Middle Burgenland and is not divided into any districts.- History :...
): 464 Jews (27.8%) - Kabold (KobersdorfKobersdorfKobersdorf is an Austrian market town in Oberpullendorf, Burgenland.-Geography:Kobersdorf is located in Middle Burgenland and is divided into the districts of Kobersdorf, Lindgraben, and Oberpetersdorf...
): 256 Jews (20.2%) - Sopronkeresztúr (DeutschkreutzDeutschkreutzDeutschkreutz is an Austrian market town in the District of Oberpullendorf, Burgenland. Its Hungarian name is Sopronkeresztúr , in Hebrew it is called Zelem , .- Geography :...
): 621 Jews (18.6%) - Boldogasszony (FrauenkirchenFrauenkirchenFrauenkirchen is an Austrian town in the District of Neusiedl am See, Burgenland.- History :The community of Frauenkirchen, like the rest of Burgenland, belonged to Hungary until 1920/21. From 1898 onwards, it was forced to change its name to the Hungarian Fertőboldogasszony because of the...
): 412 Jews (15.1%) - Nagymarton (MattersdorfMattersdorfMattersdorf may refer to:* a town in the former Kingdom of Hungary, now Mattersburg in Austria* Kiryat Mattersdorf, a neighborhood in Jerusalem, Israel...
): 511 Jews (13.5%) - Kismarton (EisenstadtEisenstadt- Politics :The current mayor of Eisenstadt is Andrea Fraunschiel ÖVP.The district council is composed as follows :* ÖVP: 17 seats* SPÖ: 8 seats* Austrian Green Party: 2 seats* FPÖ: 2 seats- Castles and palaces :...
): 168 Jews (5.5%) - Felsőkismartonhegy (Oberberg, now part of EisenstadtEisenstadt- Politics :The current mayor of Eisenstadt is Andrea Fraunschiel ÖVP.The district council is composed as follows :* ÖVP: 17 seats* SPÖ: 8 seats* Austrian Green Party: 2 seats* FPÖ: 2 seats- Castles and palaces :...
): 58 Jews (4.4%) - Köpcsény (KittseeKittseeKittsee is an Austrian municipality in the District of Neusiedl am See, Burgenland.- Geography :Kittsee lies 32 km northeast from Neusiedl am See, on the Slovak border opposite Bratislava, with crossings into the Bratislava suburb of Jarovce...
): 92 Jews (2.9%)
See also
- Kiryat MattersdorfKiryat MattersdorfKiryat Mattersdorf is a Haredi neighborbood in Jerusalem, Israel. It is located on the northern edge of the mountain plateau on which central Jerusalem lies. It is named after Mattersburg , a town in Austria with a long Jewish history. It borders Unsdorf and Romema...
- History of the Jews in HungaryHistory of the Jews in HungaryHungarian Jews have existed since at least the 11th century. After struggling against discrimination throughout the Middle Ages, by the early 20th century the community grew to be 5% of Hungary's population , and were prominent in science, the arts and business...
- Jewish history of Slovakia
- Jewish history of Austria
See also:
- Several Sieben Gemeinden (de)
- Seven ChurchesSeven ChurchesSeven Churches may refer to:*Seven Churches of Asia, mentioned in the Book of Revelation*Seven Churches of Saint Thomas, a tradition in Indian ChristiansIn music it may refer to*Seven Churches , an album by Possessed...
- Seven Churches
- Community Seven, Billings, Montana