History
The towns of Veendam and Wildervank are located in the south-east of the Province of Groningen. They owe their existence in 1647 to the cultivation of the vast peatmoor lands. The area was opened up by a double canal structure mutually connected by cross-canals.
Near one of those canals, the Beneden Dwarskanaal, and a sluice Veendam came into existence Wildervank is more or less a continuation of Veendam. The population of both villages predominantly existed of peat laborers, boatmen, artisans, and merchants. Farmers settled at the cultivated areas.
At the end of the 17th century the first Jewish family settled in this area. The number of Jewish people increased slowly in the first decades of the 18th century. Especially in the second half of the 18th century the number of Jewish people increased strongly. In 1783 Veendam counted 130 Jewish people and Wildervank 44 Jewish people. The most important sources of income for them were trade in cattle, meat and assorted goods. Additionally, many Jewish people were butcher.
The Jewish Congregation, formed by the villages Veendam, Wildervank, Meeden, Muntendam and Stadskanaal counted 243 Jewish people in 1813. In 1850 the Jewish people from Stadskanaal would secede. Nevertheless, the Jewish Congregation Veendam-Wildervank reached its largest size of 600 Jewish people in 1887. Then as well the Jewish people worked predominantly in the trade business and the trade of butcher.
In 1901 the villages Veendam, Wildervank and Muntendam yet counted 301 Jewish people. Most of them have been deported in September and October of 1942. After the war the Jewish Congregation Veendam-Wildervank was dissolved and added to the Jewish Congregation Stadskanaal.
In 1951 a monument was unveiled at the Jewish cemetery in memory of the deported Jewish people. In 1967 a monument in memory of the Jewish community of both villages was placed as well on the spot of the old synagogue.
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