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Life_under_Siege_The_Jews_of_Magdeburg_under_Nazi_Rule.pdf

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<strong>The</strong> expenditure for social welfare projects displays only moderate variation<br />

for the entire period. <strong>The</strong> 1936–1937 budget was signed <strong>of</strong>f by the synagogue<br />

board on 10 February and 12 March 1936. 84 In interpreting the expenditure for<br />

social welfare within the synagogue community it may indicate one <strong>of</strong> two<br />

possibilities: firstly, that up until this point the majority <strong>of</strong> community members<br />

were not seeking unusual levels <strong>of</strong> assistance, or secondly, that they were not<br />

seeking direct assistance from the synagogue, but from the various social welfare<br />

organisations in the community. It is more likely that the latter was the case after<br />

investigation <strong>of</strong> the files <strong>of</strong> the Provinzial-Verband für jüdische<br />

Wohlfahrtspflege. 85 With regard to the examination <strong>of</strong> these budgets, however, it<br />

is evident that the synagogue as an economic structure was functioning quite<br />

normally and fulfilling all <strong>of</strong> its roles and responsibilities until this point.<br />

<strong>The</strong> operations <strong>of</strong> organisations and institutions which assisted in social<br />

welfare provide further insight into the economic structure <strong>of</strong> the community and<br />

how it responded to the ever-changing needs <strong>of</strong> its members. Two important<br />

organisations which continued to operate in meeting the needs <strong>of</strong> communal<br />

members were the Israelitisches Altersheim and the Israelitische Beerdigungs-<br />

Gesellschaft. As far as can be ascertained, they operated according to their own<br />

budgets and constitutions <strong>under</strong> duress, until they were forcibly incorporated into<br />

the Reichsvereinigung der Juden in Deutschland.<br />

<strong>The</strong> following organisations were dedicated solely to social welfare projects.<br />

One organisation about which very little is known was the Verband ostjüdischer<br />

84 Synagogen-Gemeinde zu <strong>Magdeburg</strong> Haushaltsplan für 1936/1937, Bestand Rep. A<br />

II, Signatur Nr. 2478 J 13a, Band 7, STAM, op. cit.<br />

85 Correspondence to and from the Provinzial-Verband für jüdische Wohlfahrtspflege<br />

in Sachsen-Anhalt, Beratungsstelle <strong>Magdeburg</strong>, 11 September 1933 – 6 May 1938,<br />

Bestand 2A2, Signatur Nr. 1315, CJA.<br />

40

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