The Jews of Königsberg at the turn of the 20th century

Cranz - the stylish summer resort

Cranz (today Zelenogradsk)

The summer months were spent at the coastal
resort of Cranz, where many families had built
summer villas. In addition, there were kosher restaurants, such as the Pension Mazi. The majority of the Jewish children in Königsberg who were born in the summer months around the turn of the century were born in Cranz. In 1911, the summer synagogue donated by the banker Marx was dedicated.

Villa Marx Cranz

80. Summerhouse of the Marx Family in Cranz

hotel owner Masie

82. The hotel owner Masie in a wig. She ran a kosher pension in Cranz and a hotel in Königsberg

Synagoge Cranz

81. Synagogue in Cranz

Marie und Hanna Königberger

86. Marie and Hanna Königsberger in Cranz

Family Königsberger

85. The Königsberger family

Lepehne family

83. The Lepehne family on the Courian Spit

Postcard Cranz

84. Postcard from Cranz from Ida Schoenfeld, 1908

People beach Cranz

87. Troupe of people on the beach in Cranz 1909

Director's Cut

Pictures of the ruin of the former Synagogue of Cranz in the postwar Selenogradsk, when foreigners had no access to this area. Source: New Zelenogradsk.ru – public and business site of Zelenogradsk, Kaliningrad region and other

Synagoge Cranz Ruine
Cranz ruin of synagogue

The Shiller, Segall and Sandelowski families came from the border town of Wistiten (today Vistytis in Lithuania). Relatives went to the East Prussian town of Seckenburg and some to Berlin. Before World War I, some emigrated to Canada and later followed up with parts of the family. Cecilie Shiller, a born Segall, came back to East Prussia in the early 1930s with her son Marvin to visit her sister Anna. Here you can see them strolling along the seafront in Cranz. The children of Marvin, who is still small here, live in Montral and Toronto today, they provided us with this picture.

Seafront Cranz Ostpreussen