Kaltes Bad and other buildings

Behind the synagogue there were some ten houses which were primarily used for various public purposes. At times the following community properties stood there: the bakehouse, the Kaltes Bad for ritual use, and in the early Judengasse period probably the socalled cantor's house and the fire brigade sheds. In the great Judengasse fire of 1711 these houses were all destroyed. Many changes were made during rebuilding. Because of the fire hazard, the bakehouse ovens were relocated at the Jewish cemetery on the free land in front of the Judengasse. The Kaltes Bad was also modified. The second great Judengasse fire in 1721 destroyed some of these new buildings, which were rebuilt again. The houses behind the synagogue also included several private dwellings. At first they were probably used as standby accommodation for times when the Judengasse was overcrowded. Later, however, more and more local Jews moved in here. The visitation lists for 1694 show two households in the buildings, including the family of a cantor. In the 18th century the number of households is reported to have increased further. Public use of the buildings declined accordingly. Nothing exact is known about the subsequent fate of the buildings. Probably they disappeared during the rebuilding of the synagogue between 1854 and 1860.