First of all, thank you Wolfgang for such an interesting post.

Joe, I can only answer briefly now (got to do some work !), but I have visited and spent some time in Erfurt (in the former East Germany)where there is now a flourishing Jewish community and synagogue (built in 1951), after the earlier synagogue was burned in the night of 9th November 1938 and many, many people were arrested and taken to nearby Buchenwald. I have a very interesting book in which Jewish and non-Jewish people have written their recollections of that time in Erfurt and have come to a reconciliation and understanding. Very moving stuff to read.

- jeanie