Jewish Cemetery Cologne-Deutz
Founded in 1695, the cemetery on Judenkirchhofsweg is the oldest surviving Jewish cemetery in present-day Cologne and the final resting place of around 5,000 people.
Tucked away in Cologne-Deutz lies the oldest surviving Jewish cemetery within the area of today's city. Founded in 1695, it saw its final burial during the war year of 1941.
At a Glance
- Founded
- 1695, first burials from 1698
- Significance
- oldest surviving Jewish cemetery in present-day Cologne
- Area
- around 18,000 m²
- Burials
- about 5,000 people, the last in 1941
- Access
- from the south-western side via Judenkirchhofsweg
- Owner
- Synagogen-Gemeinde Köln (Cologne Synagogue Community)
History
The foundation was laid in 1695, when Archbishop Clemens leased a plot of land to the Jews of Deutz. The first burials took place from 1698 onwards. At the start of the Prussian era, the cemetery had to make way for the construction of a lunette and was initially reduced in size.
Because of its proximity to this fort, gravestones could only be laid flat between 1859 and 1882 by order of the Prussian military. The cemetery was expanded in both 1859 and 1895, creating the sections D to J.
Since the orthodox community "Adass Jeschurun" was not permitted its own separate section, it laid out a cemetery of its own on Decksteiner Straße in Lindenthal in 1910. In 1918 the Deutz cemetery was closed and the new cemetery on Venloer Straße in Bocklemünd/Mengenich opened. In 1928 the site passed into the ownership of the Synagogen-Gemeinde Köln.
Who Rests Here
From the end of the 17th century, members of the Jewish community of Deutz were buried here, and later also members of the Cologne communities that redeveloped after 1798. Among the roughly 5,000 people laid to rest are names still familiar today.
Members of the Oppenheim family, who had the Glockengasse Synagogue built, rest here, as does Isaac Offenbach, whose son Jacques Offenbach became a famous composer. The philosopher and writer Moses Hess wished for this place as his final resting spot; his remains were transferred to Israel in 1961. David Wolffsohn, who succeeded Theodor Herzl as president of the Zionist World Organization, was also buried here.
Today
The enclosed grounds are cared for by gardeners but deliberately kept in a natural state. Apart from a single container there are no buildings. Various organizations offer guided tours at irregular intervals. The cemetery is administered by the Synagogen-Gemeinde Köln.
Map
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Address
Judenkirchhofsweg
Köln
Contact
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official website (retrieved 2026-07-09)
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-07-09)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-07-09, rev 261190652)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-07-09
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