Rabbi. He was a Rabbi who served in Germany during both the Nazi and Communist eras.
Riesenburger, who was a Jewish preacher at that time, became chaplain at Berlin's Jewish old-age home in 1933. In 1942, the old-age home was closed by the Nazis and its residents were deported. However, Riesenburger was spared the deportations that were the fate of most German Jews because his wife was a German Christian who had converted to Judaism. In the eyes of the Nazis, he was the spouse of an Aryan, and Jews in that position were sometimes treated more leniently by the Nazis so as not to cause pain to the Aryan spouse.
The Weissensee Jewish Cemetery was still officially functioning for the few thousand Jews who remained in Berlin even after it had been declared "Judenfrei," and the Nazis assigned Riesenburger to manage Jewish funerals.
Clandestinely, Riesenburger conducted religious services in the cemetery administrative buildings. He also took advantage of his position to hide over 500 Torah scrolls from the Nazis and also, according to some reports, to save Jewish lives.
Riesenburger remained as a Rabbi in East Germany after the war, serving at the Rykestrasse Synagogue, the only Jewish house of worship in East Berlin for most of the communist years. He was eventually appointed by the communist authorities as chief rabbi of East Germany.
Riesenburger, who was a Jewish preacher at that time, became chaplain at Berlin's Jewish old-age home in 1933. In 1942, the old-age home was closed by the Nazis and its residents were deported. However, Riesenburger was spared the deportations that were the fate of most German Jews because his wife was a German Christian who had converted to Judaism. In the eyes of the Nazis, he was the spouse of an Aryan, and Jews in that position were sometimes treated more leniently by the Nazis so as not to cause pain to the Aryan spouse.
The Weissensee Jewish Cemetery was still officially functioning for the few thousand Jews who remained in Berlin even after it had been declared "Judenfrei," and the Nazis assigned Riesenburger to manage Jewish funerals.
Clandestinely, Riesenburger conducted religious services in the cemetery administrative buildings. He also took advantage of his position to hide over 500 Torah scrolls from the Nazis and also, according to some reports, to save Jewish lives.
Riesenburger remained as a Rabbi in East Germany after the war, serving at the Rykestrasse Synagogue, the only Jewish house of worship in East Berlin for most of the communist years. He was eventually appointed by the communist authorities as chief rabbi of East Germany.
Rabbi. He was a Rabbi who served in Germany during both the Nazi and Communist eras.
Riesenburger, who was a Jewish preacher at that time, became chaplain at Berlin's Jewish old-age home in 1933. In 1942, the old-age home was closed by the Nazis and its residents were deported. However, Riesenburger was spared the deportations that were the fate of most German Jews because his wife was a German Christian who had converted to Judaism. In the eyes of the Nazis, he was the spouse of an Aryan, and Jews in that position were sometimes treated more leniently by the Nazis so as not to cause pain to the Aryan spouse.
The Weissensee Jewish Cemetery was still officially functioning for the few thousand Jews who remained in Berlin even after it had been declared "Judenfrei," and the Nazis assigned Riesenburger to manage Jewish funerals.
Clandestinely, Riesenburger conducted religious services in the cemetery administrative buildings. He also took advantage of his position to hide over 500 Torah scrolls from the Nazis and also, according to some reports, to save Jewish lives.
Riesenburger remained as a Rabbi in East Germany after the war, serving at the Rykestrasse Synagogue, the only Jewish house of worship in East Berlin for most of the communist years. He was eventually appointed by the communist authorities as chief rabbi of East Germany.
Riesenburger, who was a Jewish preacher at that time, became chaplain at Berlin's Jewish old-age home in 1933. In 1942, the old-age home was closed by the Nazis and its residents were deported. However, Riesenburger was spared the deportations that were the fate of most German Jews because his wife was a German Christian who had converted to Judaism. In the eyes of the Nazis, he was the spouse of an Aryan, and Jews in that position were sometimes treated more leniently by the Nazis so as not to cause pain to the Aryan spouse.
The Weissensee Jewish Cemetery was still officially functioning for the few thousand Jews who remained in Berlin even after it had been declared "Judenfrei," and the Nazis assigned Riesenburger to manage Jewish funerals.
Clandestinely, Riesenburger conducted religious services in the cemetery administrative buildings. He also took advantage of his position to hide over 500 Torah scrolls from the Nazis and also, according to some reports, to save Jewish lives.
Riesenburger remained as a Rabbi in East Germany after the war, serving at the Rykestrasse Synagogue, the only Jewish house of worship in East Berlin for most of the communist years. He was eventually appointed by the communist authorities as chief rabbi of East Germany.
Bio by: Anonymous
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