Michael (Michel) Oppenheim

Michael Oppenheim is forced to act as a liaison between the Jewish community and the Gestapo by the National Socialists between 1941 and 1944. One of his tasks in this role is to maintain lists of Jews living in Mainz and the local area. He only manages to avoid deportation at the beginning of 1945 with the help of a Gestapo officer and by remaining hidden. After the war, he is appointed Head of the Department of Culture by the Mayor of Mainz. He campaigns for the re-opening of the University of Mainz and for the cultural recovery of the city and its museums, and he also plays a central role in establishing the Jewish community.