1 9 4 5 , ▁the ▁town ▁and ▁its ▁g arrison ▁was ▁handed ▁over ▁to ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Sho ck ▁Army ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Red ▁Army ▁forces . ▁ ▁Hal ber stadt ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁newly ▁established ▁Sax ony - An halt ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 5 – 1 9 5 2 , ▁after ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁within ▁Bez irk ▁Mag de burg ▁in ▁East ▁Germany . ▁During ▁the ▁Peace ful ▁Revolution ▁in ▁Aut umn ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁St ▁Martin ' s ▁Church ▁was ▁a ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁S words ▁to ▁pl ough sh ares ▁movement . ▁After ▁the ▁reun ification ▁of ▁Germany , ▁Hal ber stadt ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁restored ▁state ▁of ▁Sax ony - An halt . ▁ ▁Jewish ▁culture ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century , ▁Hal ber stadt ▁had ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁Jewish ▁communities ▁in ▁central ▁Europe . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁nearly ▁one ▁in ▁twelve ▁of ▁the ▁town ' s ▁inhabitants , ▁almost ▁ 7 0 0 ▁people , ▁were ▁Jewish . ▁Notable ▁amongst ▁them ▁was ▁Ber end ▁Le h mann ▁( 1 6 6 1 – 1 7 3 0 ). ▁One ▁example ▁of ▁Le h mann ' s ▁work ▁was ▁the ▁impress ive ▁Bar o que ▁syn agog ue ▁he ▁fin anced , ▁which ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 7 1 2 . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁after ▁the ▁Krist all n acht ▁pog rom s , ▁the ▁Naz i ▁authorities ▁forced ▁the ▁Jewish