Heiliger Sand (Jewish Cemetery), Worms
Paper and rock remembrances in the Jewish Cemetery.
Photo by Michael Clemens.
Autumn in the Jewish Cemetery. Photo by Allanimal.
Tombs in the Jewish Cemetery. Photo by Allanimal.
In the southwest corner of the walled city of Worms is the Heiliger Sand, the oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe. The green, peaceful grounds are home to hundreds of twisted and sunken tombstones, some more than 900 years old.
The earliest tombstone that is still standing dates from 1076; the last burial was in 1940. For unknown reasons, the graves do not have the customary orientation towards Jerusalem; the sole exception is the marytr Rabbi Meir von Rothenburg at the lowest point of the grounds.
The cemetery fell into disuse before the Holocaust: it was so full that by 1911, a new burial ground was created elsewhere and only established families could continue to use the Heiliger Sand. Miraculously, the cemetery was not destroyed under the Third Reich.
The old Jewish Quarter in Worms, containing the Alte Synagogue and Jewish Museum, is at the other end of town to the north.
Location Map
Location map and satellite view of the Heiliger Sand (Jewish Cemetery). Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Worms Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- The Rough Guide to Germany 6 (April 2004).
- Synagoge und Mikwe - Judenviertel - Worms.de
- Worms - JewishEnyclopedia.com
