German Colony, Haifa

The German Colony ("Hamoshava Hagermanit") ( _he. המושבה הגרמנית) was established in Haifa in 1868 by the German Templers. It was the first of several colonies established by the group in the Holy Land. Others were founded in Jaffa, Galilee and Jerusalem.

History

The Templers, a religious Protestant sect formed in southern Germany in the 19th century, settled in Palestine at the urging of their leader, Christoff Hoffman, in the belief that living in the Holy Land would hasten the second coming of Christ. The Templers built a colony in keeping with strict urban planning principles and introduced local industries that brought modernity to Palestine, which had long been neglected by the Ottomans. They were the first to organize regular transportation services between Jaffa, Acre and Nazareth, which also allowed for mail delivery.

The population fluctuated between 300-400 settlers between 1870 and 1914. Sixty of the colonists were American citizens and their leader, Jacob Schumacher served as the U.S. consular agent for Haifa and northern Palestine. [Ruth Kark, American Consuls in the Holy Land.]

Employing modern farming methods, the Templers introduced soil fertilization, better methods of crop rotation and new crops such as potatoes. They imported agricultural machinery and engaged in "mixed farming," combining dairy farming and field crops. [Land Labor and the Origins of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 1882-1914 Gershon Shafir p. 29]

Registering the land was problematic due to back taxes and local boundary disputes, which sometimes turned violent. [Ruth Kark, American Consuls Published 1994 Wayne State University Press ISBN 0814325238 pp. 245-246, 270] The Templers thus abandoned farming in favor of industry and tourism. They built hotels, opened workshops and established an olive oil soap factory. [http://www.tour-haifa.co.il/eng/modules/article/view.article.php/c17/63/p1 Tour - Haifa - Articles - The German Colony - 1869-2006 ] ] The German colony was stood out in its poor surroundings. The only doctor in the city lived there, and one of the residents was a construction engineer. By the end of the Ottoman era, the colony had 750 inhabitants, 150 houses and dozens of businesses. The colony was the first model of urban planning in Palestine, with a main street running from north to south (today, Ben-Gurion Boulevard), leading down to the harbor. Smaller streets branched out from the main street. At the southern end of the colony were the Templer vineyards (where the Bahá'í World Centre stands today). The colony was built as a garden city with single family homes surrounded by gardens and shade trees lining the main boulevard. [http://www.haifafoundation.com/German_Colony.html]

Nazi affiliation and expulsion

When General Allenby conquered Palestine, the German Templers, who supported Germany in the World War I, were regarded as enemies. In 1937, 34% of the Templers were card-carrying members of the Nazi party. On Coronation Day in 1937, all the Templer colonies flew the swastika. [H.D. Schmidt, The Nazi Party in Palestine and the Levant 1932-9, International Affairs (London, October 1952), p.466.] When World War II erupted, the Templers were rounded up by the British and sent to internment camps. [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/946133.html The nine lives of the Lorenz Cafe Haaretz, 20 January 2008] On July 31, 1941, 661 Templers were deported to Australia via Egypt, leaving 345 in Palestine.Nachman Ben-Yehuda 1992 "Political assassinations by Jews: a rhetorical device for justice" SUNY Press ISBN 0791411656]

Restoration

Some of the old Templer homes have been restored in recent years. Buildings along Ben Gurion Boulevard have been turned into cafes, boutiques and restaurants, and the colony has become a center of Haifa nightlife. [http://travelvideo.tv/news/more.php?id=9495_0_1_0_M]

References

External links

* [http://www.tour-haifa.co.il/eng/modules/article/view.article.php/c17/63 Haifa Tourists Board: The German Colony - Historical Background]