UNESCO names Erfurt medieval Jewish area World Heritage Site
September 18, 2023
UNESCO has named a group of medieval Jewish sites in the German city of Erfurt as a World Heritage Site. It's the second time Jewish heritage in Germany has been added to the list in recent years.
The Old Synagogue is regarded as one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved medieval synagogues in EuropeImage: Martin Schutt/dpa/picture alliance
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The medieval Jewish town center of Erfurt in central Germany was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List on Sunday.
"The Jewish monuments of Erfurt were nearly forgotten for centuries," said Maria Böhmer, head of the German UNESCO commission. "Their rediscovery is a great gift."
Among the buildings included on the sought-after list were Erfurt's Old Synagogue, a 13th-century stone building that shows medieval Jewish family life and a traditional ritual bath, or mikveh.
The Old Synagogue was used as a storehouse and then a restaurant and dancehall. Its importance was only rediscovered and established in 1988. The ritual bath was used as a cellar for centuries and was not recognized for its historical and cultural background until 2007.
"In our time, when the immense crimes of the Holocaust still overshadow popular representations of everything Jewish, the UNESCO recognition shines a light on how Jews truly lived, loved, created, and passed on their religion and culture from generation to generation for more than nine hundred years [...] right here in Erfurt," said Alan Bern, the artistic director of culture program Yiddish Summer Weimar.
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Second German Jewish site protected by UNESCO
A pogrom in Erfurt in 1349 wiped out the entire Jewish community. The city believes the synagogue's use as a warehouse and dancehall kept it from being destroyed by the Nazis.
Today, the Old Synagogue, whose earliest signs of construction date back to around 1094, houses a museum.
The site marks the second Jewish site in Germany to be protected by UNESCO, an important step toward honoring the common roots of Judaism and Christianity, said Kerstin Pürschel, the German ambassador to UNESCO. This brings the number of World Heritage Sites in Germany up to 52.
UNESCO World Heritage Site contenders 2023
The World Heritage Committee convenes in the Saudi capital Riyadh this September to add new sites to its protected list. Here is a selection of the potential new additions.
Image: Hatem Ben Said
Gaya Tumuli burial mounds, South Korea
From about 42-532 AD, the territory of what is now South Korea was controlled by the Gaya, a confederacy of small kingdoms. Hundreds of burial mounds dating back to the Gaya era can still be found today. Several sites are now slated to become UNESCO World Heritage.
Image: Seo Heun Kang
Cultural melting pot of Djerba, Tunisia
In ancient times, Djerba hosted North Africa's most important seaport. Over the centuries, many different peoples and cultures left their mark on the island. The archaeological site of the ancient city of Meninx, the El Ghriba Synagogue and many beautiful mosques illustrate this cultural diversity.
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Erfurt's medieval Jewish legacy, Germany
In medieval times, Erfurt was home to a thriving Jewish community. Numerous edifices and cultural artifacts bear testimony to this rich history. Among them is the city's Old Synagogue, with parts dating back to the 11th century. Here, visitors can marvel at the so-called Erfurt treasure, a collection of jewelry, coins and other precious items that once belonged to a Jewish merchant or moneylender.
Image: Vasily Dolzhansky/Stadtverwaltung Erfurt
ESMA memorial site in Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Buenos Aires Naval Mechanics' School, or ESMA, housed the largest and most notorious torture and detention center of Argentina's military dictatorship. Today, the complex has been transformed into a museum and place of remembrance. Some 30,000 people were killed by Argentina's junta, which ruled from 1976 to 1983.
Image: Albano García/MSME
Hoysala temples, India
The Hoysala dynasty built over 1,500 temples during its reign, of which only about 100 still exist today. These stone structures are widely recognized for their detail-rich workmanship. Chennakeshava Temple (pictured) in Belur, Karnataka State, is one of the best examples of Hoysala architecture.
Image: Ar Maniyarasan R
Takalik Abaj ruins, Guatemala
Guatemala's archeological site of Takalik Abaj was once an essential Mayan trading city. Here, you can find remains of Mayan and Olmec culture, dating back to the ninth century BC, encompassing temple ruins, giant stones bearing intricate inscriptions, sculptures and more.
Image: National Archaeological Park Tak´alik Ab´aj
Bale Mountains National Park, Ethiopia
The imposing Bale Mountains in southern Ethiopia boast great biological diversity, intricate cave systems and the Harenna Forest, a natural tropical evergreen forest. It is easy for visitors to spot unique birds and mammals in this region.
Viking Ring Fortress, Denmark
Five ring forts from the Viking era could be added to UNESCO's prestigious heritage list. The fortresses date back to the 10th century and were established at the behest of King Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson. The impressively symmetrical structures served defense purposes and were a show of might.
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1994 genocide memorials, Rwanda
Approximately 800,000 to 1 million people were killed in the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Several places of remembrance are dotted around the country to commemorate these horrific crimes. The Nyamata, Murambi, Bisesero and Gisozi memorial sites could now be inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
Image: CNLG
Megalithic monuments of Minorca, Spain
Large stone monuments from the Talayot culture are scattered around the Spanish island of Minorca. These impressive Iron Age megalithic sites are a treasure trove for archaeologists and draw scores of tourists as well.
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The limestone of Anticosti Island, Canada
Canada's Anticosti Island is a great place for nature lovers and paleontologists. It is home to rich fossil and sedimentary rock deposits that can help shed light on the mass extinction some million years ago.
Image: René Bourque
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UNESCO or the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations.
UNESCO is based in Paris and began the World Heritage List in 1978. It includes a broad array of over 1,000 sites — from the Acropolis in Athens to the Great Wall of China — nominated by their respective nations.
rm/sms (AP, DPA, AFP)
Correction, September 18, 2023: An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Kerstin Pürschel. DW apologizes for the error.
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