Funding for Closed Jewish Cemeteries

The continuously offered funding supports public institutions in the Arnsberg administrative district in professionally preserving closed Jewish cemeteries as an irreplaceable part of German-Jewish cultural history. Cities, municipalities, and Jewish religious communities can apply for a maintenance allowance of €1.05 per square meter for their managed areas. The grant is awarded within the framework of a funding notice by the Arnsberg District Government and is based on the Jewish tradition of preserving cemeteries as eternal resting places and simultaneously as cultural heritage on a permanent basis. In 1992, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia signed an agreement with Jewish associations to guarantee the assumption of these responsibilities and to safeguard this valuable heritage. The allowance financially offsets expenses for grave maintenance, soil and monument upkeep, as well as for landscape integration, thereby ensuring continuous care of the historic sites.

The annual proof of fund utilization must be submitted to the Arnsberg District Government by November 30. Applicants document the actual expenditures, thus ensuring transparency in the use of funds. The funding falls under the category of Culture & Media and is not tied to other specific funding titles. It strengthens the commitment to preserving special, often neglected cemetery sites that remain places of remembrance for relatives, visitors, and future generations of historical significance. Through targeted financing, the program makes a valuable contribution to securing closed Jewish cemeteries in North Rhine-Westphalia as living testimonies of Jewish tradition and cultural diversity.