Dinxperlo
Despite a lack of evidence, it is probable that Jews already resided in Dinxperlo as early as the eighteenth century. By 1815, the village's Jewish population was large enough for synagogue services to be held, albeit in a private residence. Religious lessons were given to Jewish children at the same location. At the time, the majority of the heads of Jewish households in Dinxperlo supported their families by begging.
Postcard of Grensstraat in Dinxperlo with the Synagogue, ca. 1904
At first, the Dinxperlo community fell under the aegis of the Jewish community of Winterswijk. By about 1830, however, the Dinxperlo community was awarded independent status. A new synagogue was inaugurated in 1889. The community buried its dead at a cemetery in the small village of Beggelder.
The presence of a carpet factory owned by the Jewish Prins family contributed to the local economy. Nevertheless, the economic situation of most Jewish residents remained poor up to the beginning of the twentieth century.
Because of its location on the German border, and due to the dedication of its mayor, Dinxperlo absorbed many refugees during the 1930s. In 1939, the fiftieth anniversary of the Dinxperlo synagogue was celebrated festively.
Postcard of Dorpstraat in Dinxperlo with the Synagogue, ca. 1930
In September, 1941, the Jewish children of Dinxperlo were excluded from public education and compelled to attend to a regional Jewish school in the city of Doetinchem. In November, 1942, the Jews of the province of Gelderland, including those of Dinxperlo, were deported. Only a few members of the Dinxperlo community survived the war.
The Dinxperlo synagogue had been damaged during the war and was later razed. In 1947, the community was officially absorbed into that of Aalten.
In May, 1988, the Refugee Work Foundation (Stichting Vluchtelingenwerk) unveiled a memorial at Dinxperlo to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the sealing of the Dutch-German border by the Nazi's to prevent the exit of refugees.
The Jewish population of Dinxperlo and surroundings:
The size of the Jewish community over time
1809
19
1840
28
1869
49
1899
63
1930
41
