Monheim Town Hall

The Monheim Town Hall is a historical building in Monheim, Bavaria, southern Germany, now owned by the city's council.The building, constructed from 1714 to 1720 for a rich Jewish merchant, the Court Jew Abraham Elias Model, is most notable for its ceilings, displaying motifs from the Old Testament, or Tanakh, which were restored in 1978 and 1994 respectively.HistoryThe Jewish communityThe Jewish community in Monheim was established in 1697, when Duke Johann Wilhelm allowed six Jewish families which had been banned from Eichstätt, to settle in Monheim. The new community was allowed to acquire property in Monheim, to construct a Synagogue and to work as merchants in town. In the following years, the community grew considerably, numbering 19 families and 150 people by 1737.The prospering community however raised concerns with the local population, which was worried about eventually becoming outnumbered in town. In 1736, restrictions were passed, allowing only a limited number of weddings to be conducted by the local Jews at considerable cost. In 1741, Duke Charles III Philip passed an act banning all Jews from Palatinate-Neuburg. By the 31 July 1741, all Jews had to leave his lands and were only permitted to take with them what they could carry. No financial compensation was made for their loss of property. The Jews from Monheim left for the towns in the region not part of Palatinate-Neuburg and their origin from Monheim remains obvious through the surname Monheim or Monheimer.