Warm-Up: Buttenhausen
Before we delve deeper into the life story of Sara Bernheimer, it's important that you familiarize yourselves with some basic information about Buttenhausen and its significance to the Jewish community. By getting to know Buttenhausen and its history, we can better understand what Sara's daily life and experiences might have been like.
Task
Listen to the audio on the historical background of Buttenhausen and test your knowledge with the quiz below.
Welcome to our journey to Buttenhausen, a special place on the "Schwäbischen Alb".
Buttenhausen, an idyllic district of Münsingen, has been a home for Jewish people for over 250 years. Situated amidst picturesque landscapes, this place reflects a long history of peaceful coexistence between Jews and Christians.
Since 1755, Jews have left their mark here, and from 1787, Baron Philipp Friedrich von Liebenstein encouraged the settlement of additional Jewish families. His decree and protection letter of 1787 emphasized religious tolerance, promoted trade and commerce, granted freedom of religion, and allowed for self-administration. These measures made Buttenhausen a thriving center of Jewish life.
Anti-Semitism and racial hatred, however, led to the end of Christian-Jewish coexistence in Buttenhausen after the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933. Two major deportations of local Jews in 1941 to Riga and in 1942 to Theresienstadt led to the disappearance of the Jewish community in Buttenhausen.
Today, the Jewish Museum Buttenhausen, located in the former Jewish schoolhouse, commemorates the poignant history of the community. Here, we can learn more about the people who made this place their home. The story of Sara Bernheimer, one of these residents, awaits discovery. Who was she? What was her life like here?
Let's embark on this journey together, with curiosity about the past and respect for the stories that await us. In Buttenhausen, we not only learn about history but also gain insights for the future.
Task
Explore the interactive map of Buttenhausen and document your findings.
Step 1: Navigate through the map and examine the marked locations.
Step 2: Record the locations in your Google Document, noting which ones might have been significant in Sara’s life and justify your choices using the map information.
Buttenhausen is a district of Münsingen in the Reutlingen district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the Swabian Jura, a mid-range mountain region in southern Germany. Buttenhausen is situated approximately 25 kilometers south of Reutlingen and about 60 kilometers south of Stuttgart. The village is nestled in the idyllic hilly landscape of the Swabian Jura, surrounded by meadows, forests, and fields. With around 400 residents, Buttenhausen is known for its peaceful, rural atmosphere.