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Altdorf
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| This Arch is all that remains of the former home of Leopold and Leoni Dreifuss. Leopold was the kosher butcher for the Jewish communities in the area. |
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A Brief Introduction |
| There
are several Altdorfs in Germany. This
Altdorf is in the Ortenaukreis (district) of
Western Baden-Württemberg (state) located near the
Rhine River border with France. Since 1975
Altdorf is part of Ettenheim and lies just to the
north of Ettenheim. The nearest large city
to Altdorf is Strasbourg, France, demonstrating
the historical importance of Altdorf and the other
communities
in the Rhine river plain area to both countries. A rich Jewish heritage once existed in the Ortenaukreis of Western Baden-Württemberg located near the Rhine River. The former Jewish community of Altdorf was once typical of that region. For many years the Jewish population was 20% of its total population. They shared resources and intermarried with other nearby Jewish communities in Ettenheim, Friesenheim, Kippenheim, Lahr, Nonnenweiler, Orschweier, Rust and Schmieheim. Today there are still some visual memories to that heritage, including this arch of Leopold and Leoni Dreifuss in Altdorf. The greater community of Jews in the nearby area is brought to mind today by the great artistry of the former Kippenheim synagogue and the serenity of the Jewish cemetery in Schmieheim. This page is dedicated to Altdorf and its former Jewish community. Please continue on for more background information on Altdorf or jump to any of seven additional pages on Altdorf shown on the green banner across the top of the page. If you share an interest in Altdorf and would like to contribute to these pages in any way (memoirs, historical material, photos, maps, etc) please email me.  Be sure to visit
the new Synagogue link, which tells about the Altdorf
Synagogue. A related link on the rescue of the
Altdorf Torah is coming soon. |