User:Zevan Solomon/sandbox

= Leipzig: 1933-1945 =

20th Century
On May 22, 1930, Carl Friedrich Goerdeler was elected as mayor of Leipzig. He was well known as being a noted opponent of the Nazi regime. Goerdeler was later executed by the Nazis on February 2, 1945.

Beginning in 1933, many Jewish citizens of Leipzig were members of the Gemeinde, a large Jewish religious community spread throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In October of 1935, the Gemeinde helped found the Lehrhaus (English: a house of study.) The Lehrhaus was founded to provide different forms of studies to Jewish students who were prohibited from attending any institutions in Germany. Jewish studies were emphasized and much of the Jewish community of Leipzig became involved.

On December 20,1937, after Nazis took control of the city, they renamed it from Leipzig to Reichsmessestadt Leipzig, meaning Imperial Trade Fair City Leipzig.

In early 1938, Leipzig saw an increase in Zionism through Jewish citizens. Many of these Zionists attempted to flee before deportations began.

On October 28, 1938, Heinrich Himmler ordered the deportation of Polish Jews from Leipzig to Poland.

As with other cities in Europe during the Holocaust, the Jewish people of Leipzig were impacted greatly by the Nuremberg Laws. However, due to the Leipzig Trade Fair and the international attention it garnered, Leipzig was especially cautious about their public image. With that, Leipzig had no fear in strictly applying and enforcing anti-semitic measures.

Shortly before Kristallnach t, Polish Jews living in the city were expulsed.

On November 9, 1938, as part of Kristallnacht, Gottschedstrasse (German: Gottschedstraße), now a popular dining and nightlife area in Leipzig, was the scene of large synagogue and business fires. Only a couple days later, on November 11, 1938, many Jews in the Leipzig area were deported to the Buchenwald Concentration Camp. As World War II came to an end, much of Leipzig was destroyed. Following the war, the Communist Party of Germany (German: Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands, KPD) provided aid in reconstruction of the city.

Until late 1943, there was little threat of aerial bombings to the city. However, on the morning of December 4, 1943, the British Royal Air Force dropped over 1,000 tons of explosives, resulting in the death of nearly 1,000 civilians. Despite there being some smaller bombings prior to this, this bombing was the largest to date. Due to the close proximity of many of the buildings hit, a firestorm occurred as a result. This prompted firefighters to rush the city, however the size of the storm was too overwhelming for them. For more, click "See Also" above.

In 1933, a census detailed that over 11,000 Jews were living in Leipzig. In a 1939 census, that number dipped down to roughly 4,500. In January of 1942, only 2,000 remained. This January, these 2,000 Jews began to get deported.

On July 13, 1942, 170 Jews were deported from Leipzig to Auschwitz Concentration Camp. On September 19, 1942, 440 Jews were deported from Leipzig to Theresienstadt Concentration Camp. On June 18, 1943, the remaining 18 Jews still in Leipzig were deported from Leipzig to Auschwitz Concentration Camp. According to According to records from the two waves of deportations to Auschwitz Concentration Camp, there were no survivors. According to records from the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp deportation, only 53 Jews survived.

Like all other cities claimed by the Nazis, Leipzig succumbed to aryanization. Beginning in 1933 and increasing in 1939, Jewish business owners were forced to give up their possessions and stores. This eventually intensified to the point where Nazi officials had the power to evict the Jewish people from their own homes. They also had the power to force many of the Jews living in the city to sell their own houses. Many people who sold their homes emigrated elsewhere, outside of Leipzig. Others moved to Judenhäuser, which were smaller houses that acted as ghettos, housing large groups of people.

Following the end of World War II in 1945, Leipzig saw a slow return of Jewish people to the city.

Music
See also: University of Music and Theatre Leipzig

During the 1930s and 1940s, many students attended Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy College of Music and Theatre (then named Landeskonservatorium.) However, in 1944, it became closed due to World War II. It re-opened soon after the war ended in 1945.