Synagogue (Groningen)

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The synagogue in the Folkingestraat, Groningen (photo from 2008)

The synagogue in Groningen was built according to plans by the Dutch architect Tjeerd Kuipers (1857–1942) and inaugurated in 1906. The building is the successor to earlier synagogues in the city, which has had a Jewish community since 1744. It is artistically executed in the neo-Byzantine style with neo-Moorish elements . Before the Second World War , the synagogue offered space for over 600 visitors.

History of use since 1942

In 1942 the synagogue was closed by the German occupiers and converted into a depot for radios, copper and tin. The Torah scrolls could be withdrawn from the occupiers' access and hidden in the safe of a branch of the Rotterdamsche Bank .

The German occupiers deported and murdered almost all Jews in the province of Groningen . The same applies to the city: of the 2,724 Jews who were captured in the city by the National Socialist authorities in February 1941, only a few survived the Shoah . Immediately after the end of the war, around 120 Jews stayed in the city, in 1948 there were 239 people in the Jewish community of Groningen. But every year the number of Jewish residents decreased. Many Jews left the Netherlands to emigrate to Israel.

Therefore, the Jewish community of the city of Groningen decided to sell the building. In 1952 it was bought by the Apostolic Community , which used the building, which had not been destroyed during the war, for their liturgical ceremonies . It was then converted into a laundry, which existed until 1973. The building was then to be sold. Neither the local Jewish community nor the city of Groningen were inclined to purchase it. Because it was not a listed building until then , demolition was also conceivable. An initiative group led by Lenny Wolgen-Salomons collected donations to maintain the building and founded the Flokingestraat Synagogue Foundation . In 1976, the city ​​council finally decided to buy and renovate . The synagogue was rededicated on November 29, 1981. Since then, the local Jewish community has held services there again. In addition, the Flokingestraat Synagogue Foundation organizes exhibitions, concerts, lectures, guided tours and educational events within the premises or provides rooms for appropriate purposes.

In 2011 the exterior facade was restored.

In addition to the Flokingestraat Synagogue Foundation , the Oude Groninger Kerken Foundation is helping to maintain the synagogue.

literature

  • Johan van Gelder: Het huis van Gronings Israël. De synagoge en hair gemeente, 1906–2006 , Van Gruting, Westervoort 2006, ISBN 90-75879-33-4 .

Web links

Commons : Synagogue in Groningen  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Website of the Jewish community in Groningen.
  2. ↑ Information about Groningen on the Joods Historisch Museum / Jewish Historical Museum of the Jewish Historical Museum Amsterdam .
  3. ^ Stefan van der Poel: Joodse stadjers. De joodse gemeenschap in de stad Groningen, 1796–1945 (Groninger historical reeks, 26), van Gorcum, Assen 2004, p. 151 ( Memento of July 21, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 140 kB), ISBN 90-232 -4015-4 .
  4. ^ Website with information about the Jews in the province of Groningen .
  5. ^ Stefan van der Poel: Joodse stadjers. De joodse gemeenschap in de stad Groningen, 1796–1945 , p. 148 ( Memento of July 22, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 195 kB)
  6. ^ Lodewijk Born: Honderd jaar Folkingestraat synagogue in Groningen. 'De synagoge laat zien: we zijn niet weggevaagd' . In: Friesch Dagblaad , March 8, 2006.
  7. ^ Stefan van der Poel: Joodse stadjers. De joodse gemeenschap in de stad Groningen, 1796–1945 , p. 150 ( Memento of July 21, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 140 kB)
  8. ↑ website of the foundation Folkingestraat synagogue
  9. ↑ Restauratie-expositie in synagoge Groningen , article on www.schildersvak.nl from July 20, 2011.
  10. ↑ Information on the synagogue on the Foundation's website (accessed October 25, 2015).

Coordinates: 53 ° 12 ′ 53 ″  N , 6 ° 33 ′ 55 ″  E