Oppenheim, who convened the Council of Bingen (1455–56) in an unsuccessful attempt to establish his authority over the whole of Rhineland Jewry. After the proposal was opposed by Moses Minz, the matter was referred to Isaac Isserlein, who rejected the project. The Jews were again expelled from Bingen in 1507, and did not return until the second half of the 16th century. The Jewish population was 465 in 1933, and 222 in 1939 due to flight and emigration. The 169 Jews who remained in Bingen in 1942 were deported, and only four ultimately returned. The synagogue was demolished in 1945, and the community was not reestablished after World War II. Politics Town council The council is made up of 36 members. The mayor since 2012 has been the CDU politician Thomas Feser. Seats are apportioned thus: Coat of arms The town's arms show Saint Martin cutting off a piece of his cloak for a poor man and, in a small inescutcheon in dexter chief, the Wheel of Mainz. Main sights Mouse Tower Former monastery church, the Basilica of St. Martin, from the 15th century with Romanesque crypt Klopp Castle (Burg Klopp) Rochuskapelle Drususbrücke (bridge) with Romanesque bridge chapel Old Rhine Crane Haferkasten (“Oat Shed”, from after 1689) with Stefan-George-Museum Puricellipalais, an Empire style building from 1780 Old Graveyard from the 19th century with Napoleon monument Historical Museum on the theme “Hildegard of Bingen” Roman villa rustica in the Bingen Forest Rhine Floodplain Special Protection Area Bingerbrück Reiter Signal Box technological cultural monument A new concept was introduced with the Route der Industriekultur Rhein-Main (“Rhine-Main Industrial Culture Route”), along which industrial building works on the 160 km between Miltenberg and Bingen are linked together into an adventure route about the Industrial Age in southern Germany. Already 700 buildings are scientifically catalogued. Culture Bingen 2008 State Garden Show Bingen was from 18 April to 19 October 2008 host for the Rhineland-Palatinate State Garden Show. The event was held along a 2.8 km stretch of the Rhine waterfront on 24 ha of exhibition area. With 1.3 million visitors, the expected number of 600,000 was greatly exceeded. Regular events Bingen swingt – jazz festival Binger Open Air Festival – Alternative festival Breakpoint – worldwide, one of the demoscene's biggest events (no longer held) Nacht der Verführung – (literally "Night of Seduction") wine festival in the vines Rhein im Feuerzauber – great firework event Rochusfest