History of Cologne History of Cologne The German city of Cologne was founded in the 1st century as the Roman Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium. It was taken by the Franks in the 5th century and became an important city of Medieval Germany, the seat of an Archbishop and a Prince-Elector. As the Free Imperial City of Cologne it was one of the centers of the Hanseatic League in the early modern period. Most of the city was destroyed in the bombing of Cologne in World War II, so it was of limited importance in post-war West Germany. It had returned to its pre-war
History of the Jews in Cologne and its rabbi. The first Cologne rabbi was The synagogues of the community had the following cantors: All of them contributed to the enrichment of synagogue music. The rectors of the community school were Cologne Jews, involved in the larger Jewish community were The most important Jewish names in the economic life of the city during the nineteenth century were Jews involved in politics were Jews involved in the arts were During the 1930s Cologne had many Jewish lawyers (125 at number) and doctors. The Judengasse, near the Rathaus, reminds of the former Jewish quarter. During French annexion of Cologne,