Cronenbourg Jewish cemetery

The Cronenbourg Jewish cemetery is one of the most significant Jewish burial grounds in Strasbourg, located in the Cronenbourg district of the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace, France. It was established in 1909, during the period when Alsace was part of the German Empire, and formally inaugurated on October 14, 1910. The cemetery was created to replace the older Koenigshoffen cemetery, which had become too small on the eve of the First World War.

How large is the cemetery?

The cemetery holds an estimated 6,500 graves, making it one of the largest Jewish burial sites in the region. It remains an active cemetery serving Strasbourg's Jewish community and is administered by the Consistoire Israélite du Bas-Rhin, the institution that represents the local Jewish congregation before French authorities.

What memorials can be found here?

Beyond its role as a burial ground, the cemetery also serves as a site of Holocaust remembrance. In 1951, a memorial designed by architects Lucien Cromback and E. Picard was unveiled here, dedicated to the 840 Jewish deportees from Strasbourg's community who were murdered in Nazi concentration camps between 1939 and 1945.

One of the most moving sites within the cemetery is a mass grave inaugurated on September 16, 1955. It holds the remains of 86 Jews who were sent to the Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp and subjected to criminal pseudo-medical experiments. After the liberation, their remains were discovered at the Anatomy Institute of the University of Strasbourg and were subsequently buried here — making this one of the most significant memorial sites related to Nazi crimes in the region.

Has the cemetery been a target of vandalism?

Unfortunately, yes. The cemetery has been the target of several antisemitic desecrations over the years. The most serious incidents occurred on April 12, 2002, and during the night of January 26–27, 2010 — the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. During the 2010 attack, eighteen headstones were defaced with brown-painted swastikas and thirteen were toppled. These incidents drew widespread public and political condemnation in France, serving as a stark reminder that antisemitism remains a present-day concern.

Where is the cemetery located?

The cemetery lies in the Cronenbourg district on the northwestern outskirts of Strasbourg, within the Bas-Rhin department in the Grand Est region. Given its history, the scale of burials, and its memorial significance, it holds an important place in the Jewish heritage of Alsace. Like most active religious cemeteries, however, it is not a conventional tourist attraction but rather a site that calls for quiet respect from any visitor.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Cronenbourg Jewish cemetery established? It was established in 1909 and formally inaugurated on October 14, 1910.

How many graves does the cemetery contain? An estimated 6,500 graves are located within the cemetery.

What historical events does the cemetery commemorate? It includes a memorial to 840 Jewish deportees from Strasbourg and a mass grave holding the remains of 86 victims of pseudo-medical experiments carried out at the Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp.

Who manages the cemetery? The cemetery is administered by the Consistoire Israélite du Bas-Rhin.