Jewish Budapest: A brief history

Topics:  Introduction * Buda and the Jewish history * Óbuda and the Jewish history * Pest and the Jewish history * Budapest 1873 till 1940 * Jewish Budapest during World War II * The Jewish Quarter, no ... Jewish Quarters * The period after 1945 * Want to know more?

Introduction

Until 1873, when Óbuda, Buda and Pest were merged into one municipality, each of the three places had a own solitary Jewish community. Although World War II and the Holocaust in Budapest  at least 120.000 Jewish victims has caused, nowadays Budapest has still one of the largest Jewish communities of Eastern Europe with a population of at least 80,000 people. The living heart of it all is the VII. district of Pest. The majority of the Jewish population in Budapest is Neolog, the Orthodox group is much smaller.

But, to be clear: there is a big difference between the present Budapest and the Budapest between 1873 and 1950. Albeit there was an amalgamation of three places, but they were surrounded by numerous villages with their own Jewish community, which later were appended to Budapest. So was the synagogue in the current IV. District until after World War II beyond the border which now for Budapest is maintained. In the till 1950 independent villages are relatively far more victims than in the city Budapest with the size it had during World War II.

Buda and the Jewish history

In the Middle Ages Jews lived in Buda as merchants, shopkeepers and craftsmen. A Jewish community at the end of the 11th century, early 12th century was formed. In 1250 a charter by King Bela declared that the Jews were given freedom of religion. This meant that they, among others, were allowed to built stone houses, but they often also pay more tax than non-Jewish inhabitants. A synagogue was built in 1307, but some years later, already destroyed and the Jews were expelled. The first time in 1348 and then in 1360, but returned soon after, in 1364, this because after they left, the Hungarian economy had collapsed. The original district they lived in was taken by Christians hands and the Jews settled in what is now called Táncsics Mihály utca (in the Castle district).

The Jewish community received regarding in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. In 1446, prominent Jewish residents took part in the royal ceremonies of King Corvinus Mattahias. The king was appointed as the head of the Jewish community in Buda and spokesman for the whole country for the Jewish population. A second synagogue was built in Buda in 1461 and has long existed. The protection by the king also took place because the Hungarian economy was too dependent on the Jewish inhabitants.

Around 1490 the Jews were struck again by disaster. Their possessions were confiscated and loans at the Jews were not repaid. During the 15 years that followed, before the Ottoman conquest of Buda, it was a period of unrest.

The Ottoman victory against the Hungarians in 1526 led to a mass exodus of Jews to western Hungary, others were deported to different parts of the Ottoman Empire. Two years later, the resettlement of Jews in Buda began. A period of peace for the Jewish community, which lasted until 1686 and Buda was the Jewish capital of the Ottoman Empire. The good relations between Turks and Jews, caused that the Jews in 1598 supported the Turks and fought alongside against an Austrian invasion. The Jews were active in trade, finance and were tax collectors for the Treasury. During this period, were both Sephardic as Ashkenazic communities. In 1660 the Jewish population here counts about 1000 people and was the largest in Hungary.

The Jews choose again the side of the Turks during the Austrian reconquest in 1686, and only 500 Jews survived the war. The Jewish quarter was plundered and the Torah scrolls were burned. Evictions, violence and anti-Jewish legislation was the Habsburgian answer. It was also decided that the Jews for 150 years no longer in the royal area of ​​Buda and Pest were allowed to live. This prohibition was not for the whole area of the ​​Budapest of today, including Óbuda.

The return began already in 1689. In 1703 Buda was declared as a free royal city and Jews were protected by the royal family. In 1712, the Jews, for a short time, got again no access to Buda.

In 1715 Charles III ordered the population to stop the violence against the Jews and a brief period of calm followed. The emperor gave some relief from restrictions for Jews, leading to resentment and attacks against Jewish homes in 1720.

During the reign of Maria Theresa, the situation deteriorated for the Jews. She expelled the Jews from Buda in 1746. Her son (Josephf II) recovered  the situation after which the Jews were allowed to live again in Buda. In 1830 a Jewish elementary school opened and, in 1866, the synagogue was built. Following the merger of the three places, the Jewish population was more and more melted together. (Photo above: Wind vane at the synagogue on the II. Frankel Leo utca)

Óbuda and the Jewish history

Jews had lived in Óbuda, "Old Buda" since the 15th century. The community disappeared after the Ottoman conquest in 1526 and this situation were not restored until 1712. The Jews got the protection of Count Peter Zichy, whose private estate also included Óbuda. The nobility saw the benefits of a Jewish population and the Count invited Jews from Bohemia and Moravia to live in Óbuda. The first Jew that returned (1726?), was Jacob Fleisch, a trader in oil, sugar, almonds, lemons and hair powder. In 1727, 24 Jewish families already had settled in Óbuda.

In 1746 there was already a vibrant Jewish community in Óbuda, and at the end of the 18th century, 2,000 Jews lived in Óbuda (of which approximately 109 families). Jewish merchants, artisans, silversmiths, weavers, etc. at that time were well regarded. In 1783 the Austrian Government declared by a decision, that Jews and non Jews were allowed to life together. Óbuda was also the only city in the Habsburg Empire, where Jews were free to carry out certain activities.

The first secular Jewish school in Hungary was opened in 1874 in Óbuda. The original synagogue was destroyed in 1817 and a new one was built in the period between 1820 and 1825. (Photo above: III. Óbuda's synagogue, built between 1820 and 1825 and again in operation since the end of 2010)

Pest and the Jewish history

Jews have lived in Pest, at least since 1406/1407, according to documents. In 1504 a large group of Jews were housed,  which had their own land and houses. A situation that continued until 1686. After the Austrian conquest in 1686 it was the Jews forbidden to live in the city. In the mid 18th century they were allowed to visit the weekly market.

In 1783 Joseph II allowed that the Jews settled again in Pest, which actually happened since 1786. But the Jews had to pay a special tax and in 1790 by law was declared that only Jews who lived before 1790 in Pest, were allowed to settle permanently. These restrictions were repealed in 1840. The Jewish population grew to a population of over 1300 in 1833. The Jewish trade grew and the Jews became owners of many houses, factories and land.

In 1848, at the outbreak of the Hungarian revolution, Jews served as a volunteer for civil defense. The German citizens of Pest had objections to this and thus the Jews were attacked by them, which required an intervention by the Hungarian army. The Jews paid a heavy price for their role in the uprising.

Budapest 1873 till 1940

This period was for the Jewish community of Budapest, a time of prosperity and growth. The Jewish community played an important role in the development of industry and commerce in Hungary. The Hapsburgs recognized their achievements and 350 Jewish families were given a noble title.
 
A separate Orthodox community was founded in 1871 and opened a school for boys in 1873. The rabbinical seminary and one secondary school (gymnasium) was founded in 1877. A second gymnasium opened in the autumn of 1919 due to the rise of anti-Semitism.

A Jewish hospital and other social institutions were opened in 1841 and an Orthodox Jewish hospital was established in 1920. During this period, many other institutions were established including the Hungarian Jewish Crafts and Agriculture Union, Pest Jewish Women's Club, two orphanages and an institute for the blind.

In this period also most of the current and exceptional Jewish cemeteries in the city were founded. Brief descriptions of the 19 remaining Jewish cemeteries can be found on the page Jewish Budapest: Cemeteries

The population of Jewish residents in Budapest culminated in the period between the two World Wars with in 1930 a population of estimated 204,000 people. Compared to the approximately 45,000 Jews in the city (which consisted then of three parts) in 1869, a huge increase. By a lower birth rate in the Jewish community in the '30s, the total number of Jewish inhabitants at the beginning of World War II was a bit lower. Budapest had, at the height of Jewish culture in those years, 125 synagogues.
(Photo above: the synagogue on the IV. Berzeviczy Gegely utca 8, a design of Armin Hegedus and Henrik Böhm (1896))

Jewish Budapest during World War II

The horrors of World War II and the Holocaust in Hungary and Budapest led to a mass slaughter. After the "relatively" quiet first years of the War for the Jewish inhabitants of Budapest, changed this dramatically in March 1944. A period that would have been even more dramatic without the efforts of Raoul Wallenberg, Carl Lutz and others. On this page a very brief history about Jewish Budapest during the War.

Thé Jewish quarter, no .... Jewish quarters

The VII. district, particularly the area around the magnificent Dohány Synagogue, probably always  for convenience, be referred as the Jewish quarter of Budapest. In terms of synagogues, and the importance thereof, this is true, but otherwise this is actually a fable ..... the size of the Jewish population of Budapest, especially in the period of circa 1890-1940 was so huge that many Jews were living in other districts of the city. In particular, the XIII. district had a large Jewish population, mostly middle class. The amount of buildings put down here in the first half of the twentieth century with Jewish money and by architects of Jewish origin shows that also this part of Budapest was a Jewish quarter. And, during World War II, the so called "Safe houses' "which were realised by e.g. Raoul Wallenberg were located in this district. Those "Safe houses" were from origin at least partly Jewish property.

The VIII. district, now the place for the Roma population of Budapest, was before World War II  also partial Jewish. For example this can be seen in the buildings in the Népszinház utca. The most important buildings in this street are designed by architects of Jewish descent and a synagogue (no longer existing) was in a side street of the Népszinház utca.

These are just two examples (but there are more) to indicate that there is not one Jewish quarter in Budapest. The VII. district is cultivated for the tourists to keep it simple. During a guided tour by Julius you shall also see other Jewish quarters in Budapest.

The period after 1945

Between 80,000 and 90,000 Jews remains in Budapest after the World War II, but due to the Hungarian Revolution in 1956 their number decreased by about 25,000. This number was remained fairly stable and nowadays the city has at least 80,000 Jewish inhabitants.

Plans in 2004 to demolish parts of the "Jewish Quarter", several buildings already had been sold to developers, led to a massive protest by which the plans were canceled, and the character of this neighborhood not too much was affected.

From the Jewish population of Budapest is about 80 percent Neolog (Reform and Conservative) and the rest is Orthodox. In Budapest houses the largest synagogue in Europe, to be precise on the VII. Dohány utca 2. Budapest has 26 active synagogues. Three new Jewish schools of different religious beliefs, there are, along with two small yeshivot. The rabbinical seminary in Budapest (under the auspices of the Neolog community) has become a Jewish university, a training of teachers and social workers.

The Jewish community maintains a Jewish hospital and of course with kosher food and doctors of Jewish descent. There are kosher restaurants, both meat and matzah are exported to other communities. Social services are provided and a summer camp operated by the Joint Distribution Committee and the Lauder Foundation. Several hundred Israeli students study at Hungarian universities.

And, every year in late August / early September, a festival be held by which visitors get a better insight into Jewish life, traditions and cultures. 

Finally, the current Jewish Quarter in Budapest is now again a vibrant and full of nice pubs and restaurants. A pub with Jewish background, which is very worthwhile, is Sirály on the VI. Király utca 50 (closed in the summer month).

Want to know more?

Greatsynagogue

Website about Neolog Jewish life in Budapest. Information includes the Dohány utca Synagogue, the Jewish Summer Festival and so on. Website is in English.

Pesti Súl

Website of the orthodox Jewish community in Budapest. Website is in English. The synagogue is located at XIII. Visegrádi utca 3.

Jewish cemeteries in Budapest

The pages on this website about the Jewish cemeteries in Budapest: architecture, history, and so on.

Source of information, among others: Encyclopaedia Judaica of 1971

(Last update and verification of links: October 23, 2011)