Old Jewish Cemetery

Located in Hégenheim, this Jewish cemetery is a site rich in history that reflects the importance of Jewish communities in southern Alsace and around Basel. Founded in 1673, it is one of the oldest and most significant in the region. For several centuries, it served as the final resting place for the deceased from many communities in the Sundgau area and its surroundings, as well as those from the Swiss city of Basel. Indeed, until the 19th century, Jewish residents of Basel did not have their own cemetery and buried their dead here.

The site preserves thousands of graves, some of which feature very old steles distinguished by their variety of inscriptions, motifs, and funerary symbols. These elements provide valuable insight into the traditions and history of local Jewish families.

Expanded over time, the cemetery now covers several thousand burial sites. A true place of remembrance, it offers a better understanding of a lesser-known part of the trinational history and the central role played by Jewish communities there.