First written entry 1366 (≈ 1366)
Cemetery quoted for the first time.
1657
The oldest stele
The oldest stele 1657 (≈ 1657)
Date of the oldest tombstone preserved.
1793
Death of Cerf Beer
Death of Cerf Beer 1793 (≈ 1793)
Significant burial of the cemetery (section II).
1995
Registration historical monument
Registration historical monument 1995 (≈ 1995)
Addition to the additional HM inventory.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Cemetery (Case B 28): entry by order of 7 December 1995
Key figures
Cerf Beer - Personality buried
Tomb dated 1793 (section II).
Origin and history
The Jewish cemetery of Rosenwiller, located in Grendelbruch road in Lower Rhine, is mentioned for the first time in 1366, although the oldest preserved stele dates back to 1657. It is the oldest and largest Jewish necropolis in Alsace, showing a secular Jewish presence in the region. This burial site welcomed members of many nearby Jewish communities, including the rabbis of the Bishopric of Strasbourg, whose headquarters were in Mutzig.
Among the notable burials, Cerf Beer, who died in 1793, distinguished himself (section II, row 16). The cemetery thus reflects the history of the Alsatian Jewish communities, with steles with various symbols, some dating back to the seventeenth century. Its historical importance led to its inclusion in the additional inventory of historical monuments in 1995.
The site has been the subject of several studies and publications, including Memory Books (2009-2014), which transcribed funeral records from 1656 to 1980. This work, combined with architectural and symbolic analyses (such as those of Robert Weyl or Claude Jérôme), underscores its heritage value. The cemetery remains an essential place of memory, illustrating Jewish funeral traditions in Alsace since the late Middle Ages.
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