History of the Jews in Besançon

The history of the Jews in Besançon dates to the Middle Ages, a period during which the Jews settled in the city, attracted by the location of commercial space in the city.

The Jewish community was founded in the 14th century, because Besançon was in this time a free imperial city, and it remained one of the only territories of France where the Jews were tolerated, after the expulsion of Jews from the Kingdom of France in 1394. However, they were expelled from Besançon and a big part of Franche-Comté in the middle of the 15th century.

The Jews came back to the city in the 18th century, but their situation stabilized only after the French Revolution. The apogee of the community was during the Industrial Revolution, in the 19th century, when the Lipmann family based Lip in the city.

The Jewish community of Besançon grew without interruption from that time, reaching 2,500 people at the eve of World War II. The importance of the community was recognized in 1881, when a decree authorizing the creation of a Central Consistory in Besançon was signed. During the Second World War, the community of Besançon, like other Jews of France, was persecuted by the Nazi antisemitic policies.

During the 1950s–60s, the arrival of Jews from North Africa brought vitality to the community. The Synagogue of Besançon, the Jewish cemetery of Besançon and the Castle of the Jews are evidence of the Jewish presence and contributions to Besançon.