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The first documented mention of the Jews was in 1147 in a village just North of Graz at the same time they also showed up at Judendorf. They entered on the heels of the city founding and by 1160 Jews probably established their first synagogue. In the centuries that followed, Jews suffered from various degrees of persecution. A synod in Vienna of 1267 forced the Jews to wear stigmatizing clothing and even later, all Jews were expelled from the city of Graz and were not allowed to return except for the purpose of commerce.
Finally, in 1848 Jews gained equality before the law and civil rights, at least in theory. From 1861-1865 the first Jewish services were held in the inns “Zum Luftschützen” and “Zum Hasen.” By 1863 the Jews formed a Jewish corporation. From 1865 onwards, the Jews had a permanent prayer room in the “Withalms Coliseum” in the Zimmerplatzgasse. With the change of laws in 1867, the Jews were finally legally equal citizens. In 1869 the Jews founded the Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde in Graz (IKG) and by 1870 approximately 250 Jews lived in Graz. This grew to 1210 within the next ten years. In 1892 the Jews dedicated their new synagogue; Dr. Samuel Mühsam was their first Rabbi. In 1910 they dedicated the ceremonial hall at the cemetery. By that year the membership of IKG reached its highest figure with a total of 1971 members, which was ca. 1.3 per cent of the population in Graz. |
