Main synagogue Mainz

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Exterior view of the main synagogue from 1912
Interior view of the main synagogue from 1912

The Mainzer Main Synagogue was a synagogue of the Mainz Jewish community, located on the corner of Hindenburgstrasse / Josefsstrasse in the Mainzer Neustadt . It was built between 1911 and 1912, set on fire during the November pogrom in 1938 and blown up a few days later. Nevertheless, some fragments of the architecture have been preserved and were re-erected in 1988 as a memorial in the original place.


history

Exterior view of the main synagogue from 1853
Interior view of the main synagogue from 1853

The first main synagogue, consecrated in 1853 in what was then Synagogenstrasse, was built according to plans by Ignaz Opfermann . In the same year, as an expression of her liberality, she received an organ from Bernhard Dreymann , one of the first synagogue organs in Germany. Because of the organ and other reforms, the Orthodox Jews gathered in another prayer room and built their own synagogue in 1856 . Towards the end of the century the main synagogue became too small for the growing community and the board of directors of the Jewish community decided to build a new one. The architectural competition held for this in 1910 resulted in the design by the Stuttgart architect Willy Graf , which was awarded one of two first prizes and was executed between 1911 and 1912. The foundation stone was laid on August 4, 1911, and the synagogue was inaugurated on September 3, 1912. Rabbi Siegmund Salfeld gave the dedication sermon.

Before the Second World War, the Jewish community in Mainz had more than 3,000 members. After the war there were only 57 Jews in Mainz. On the night of November 9th to 10th, 1938, the main synagogue was set on fire and then blown up on November 17th by order of the building authorities.

Fragments of the vestibule colonnade of the former main synagogue, 1910–12. In the background the New Synagogue Mainz

What remained of the building were fragments of the pillared hall, which was erected in 1988 as a monument at Hindenburgstrasse 44, today Synagogenplatz, and which were restored in the course of the new synagogue .

literature

  • Program for the inauguration of the Bet Tefilat Yisra'el synagogue in Mainz on May 26, 5639 (1879) . Mainz 1879.
  • For the inauguration of the new synagogue. Mainz, September 3, 1912. Festival service regulations . Mainz 1912 ( digitized ).
  • Festschrift for the inauguration of the New Synagogue in Mainz, September 3, 1912 . Mainz 1912 ( digitized ).
  • Siegmund Salfeld: Sheets in memory of the inauguration of the new synagogue in Mainz . Mainz 1913.
  • Ingrid Westerhoff: The Synagogue by Ignaz Opfermann from 1853 . In: The Mainz synagogues. An overview of the Mainz synagogue structures with additional articles on important Mainz rabbis, the old Jewish quarter and the libraries of the Jewish communities . Association for Social History, Mainz 2008, pp. 49–61.
  • Dieter Krienke: An ornament of our beloved hometown. Willy Graf's main synagogue in Mainz (1912) . In: The Mainz synagogues. An overview of the Mainz synagogue structures with additional articles on important Mainz rabbis, the old Jewish quarter and the libraries of the Jewish communities . Association for Social History, Mainz 2008, pp. 89–117.
  • Gabriele Ziethen: Thoughts on the old synagogue in the Vorderen Synagogenstrasse, Mainz . In: Mainzer Zeitschrift 98, 2003, pp. 125–132.

Web links

Commons : Main synagogue in Mainz (1853–1912)  - collection of pictures
Commons : Main synagogue in Mainz (1912–1938)  - collection of pictures

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b On the history of the main synagogue on Alemannia Judaica , inaugurated in 1853 ; accessed October 5, 2017; Ingrid Westerhoff: The Synagogue by Ignaz Opfermann from 1853 . In: The Mainz synagogues . Mainz 2008, pp. 49-61.
  2. ↑ Achim Seip: Introduction of the Organ in Jewish Worship Services , accessed on October 20, 2017.
  3. ↑ Michael Kläger: Mainz on the way to the big city (1866-1914) . In: Mainz. The history of the city . Verlag von Zabern, Mainz 1998, p. 467.
  4. ↑ Hedwig Brüchert: Magenza - the history of Jewish Mainz 1000 years of Jewish Mainz - an overview Complete revision of the version on the CD: 2000 years of Mainz - history of the city digital, created May 28, 2018

Coordinates: 50 ° 0 ′ 31.3 "  N , 8 ° 15 ′ 33.5"  E