The Jewish Community of Merzig writes to the Reich commissioner for the Saarland on 29 November 1937 regarding the repair of the damaged synagogue¹Landesarchiv des Saarlands, MK, Nr. 3314, fol. 187. Published in Landesarchivverwaltung Rheinland- Pfalz (ed.), Dokumentation zur Geschichte der jüdischen Bevölkerung in Rheinland-Pfalz und im Saarland, vol. 6, pp. 440–441. This document has been translated from German.

Handwritten letter from Leo Weil,²Leo Weil (1870–1944); from 1925 a member and from 1932 the chairman of the Representation of the Synagogue Congregation of Merzig; deported to Gurs in Oct. 1940 and then from Drancy to Auschwitz in May 1944. state commissioner of the synagogue congregation of Merzig (Saar), to the Reich commissioner for the Saarland, Dept. III, Cultural Affairs and Schools (received on 30 November 1937), Saarbrücken, dated 29 November 1937³Parts of the original are underlined by hand.

Recently, in our affiliate congregation of Brotdorf, [subordinated to the] Merzig-Land regional mayor’s office, the windowpanes in the synagogue have quite often been smashed. On the evening of 12 November, once again, approximately twenty panes were smashed. Since our community now consists of only a few very poor persons, they are no longer able to bear the expenses. The offenders were identified in the schools.

I approached the Merzig-Land mayor’s office responsible with the request that the Brotdorf local authority be induced to replace the windows. Thus far I have had no reply. Religious services were always held there, which is no longer possible in this cold weather. What am I supposed to do now? Please prevail upon the Brotdorf local authority to repair the damage. Awaiting your favourable decision, respectfully⁴According to the response of the mayor of Merzig-Land, his office refused to recognize the town council’s obligation to replace the windows; Landesarchivvwerwaltung Rheinland-Pfalz (ed.), Dokumentation zur Geschichte der jüdischen Bevölkerung, pp. 440–441.