Sammlungen

The largest collection by far in the museum is that of the Vienna Jewish Community (Israelitische Kultusgemeinde), which in 1992 gave its collection to the museum as a permanent loan. It should be emphasised that this collection was not deliberately put together by someone for a museum but consist rather of objects that have been “brought together”, as it were. These are primarily ritual objects most of which come from Jewish synagogues and prayer houses in Vienna but also from other parts of Austria. After the “Anschluss” (Austria’s annexion by Nazi Germany in 1938) all Jewish communities were disbanded, with the exception of the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Vienna. It is probable that the members of a number of Jewish communities in the provinces brought their ritual objects to the community in Vienna to be looked after. Numerous objects show signs of fire and destruction, as in many cases they could only be rescued after the November Pogrom in 1938. The Kultusgemeinde Vienna was not dissolved but continued to exist under the title “Ältestenrat” (Council of Elders) until 1945. Little is known about where the ritual objects that survived were kept during the war years. It seems likely that they were hidden in the rooms of the Kultusgemeinde.