Gudensberg synagogue

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The former Gudensberg synagogue in the town of Gudensberg in the Schwalm-Eder district in northern Hesse was built in the years 1840–1843 in Hintergasse and has been used as a cultural center and meeting place since 1995 after renovation.

Building history

The Jewish community of Gudensberg, attested since 1664, has held regular services in prayer rooms since 1714. In the 1840s about 125 people of Jewish faith lived in the city; their number grew to 167 in 1855 and reached 194 in 1871. The community was considerably strengthened by members from the surrounding villages, especially Maden and Obervorschütz . This rapid growth, combined with increasing prosperity, led to the desire for a synagogue . In 1834/35 the municipality applied for the purchase of a piece of land "so that the municipality could finally bring about the urgently needed improvement of the teachers' and schoolhouse and the construction of a synagogue that was completely lacking there". Mordechai Wetzlar (1801–1878), from 1830 to 1875 district rabbi of the two districts of Fritzlar and Melsungen , based in Gudensberg, calculated that the synagogue had to offer space “for 130 men, 113 women and 50 school children”. Construction planning began in 1837; construction began in the spring of 1840. The inauguration was on September 14, 1843. The construction costs of a total of 5,453 Reichstalers, 6 silver groschen and 5 Hellern were raised by the Jewish community itself.

While Jewish rural communities in Northern Hesse mostly built small half-timbered synagogues (e.g. the synagogue in Vöhl ), in Gudensberg it was a massive stone building in the neo-Romanesque style of considerable size. The building has a footprint of 14 × 15 m and the interior measures 111 m². A spacious staircase led to the women's gallery. The synagogue offered space for a total of around 280 people. The inscriptions on both sides of the holy ark were, on the right: Duration of days is in her right hand , on the left: in her left riches and honor (Proverbs 3:16).

Planners and builders was from Kassel Dating architect Albrecht Rosengarten , the first Jewish architect in Germany, synagogues built. Its architecture was shaped by the desire to symbolize the integration of the Jews in the architectural style. His works included u. a. the large main synagogue in Kassel and three large synagogues in Hamburg . Since these were all destroyed, the Gudensberg synagogue is probably one of the few, if not the only remaining synagogue by this architect.

In 1910 electric lights were installed in the synagogue and major renovations were carried out in 1925, largely financed by a donation of $ 5,000 from Isaac Mansbach, a former Gudensberger, who was 78 years old and who was born in Maden, who immigrated to the United States.

closure

Only twelve years later, in 1937, the congregation, which had shrunk to a few members since 1933, had to close its synagogue. The cult objects were handed over to the Jewish community in Kassel; In a general register that was drawn up in 1960 in connection with requests for compensation, their value was estimated at 78,150 DM. On July 18, 1938, the building was sold to a master baker for 3,000 Reichsmarks.

At this point in time there were no longer any Jewish residents in Gudensberg. On January 30, 1933, 124 had lived in the city. At least 60 Jews born or living in Gudensberg, Maden or Obervorschütz were deported to concentration camps and murdered there or have since been considered missing. In May 1938 the last Jewish family left Gudensberg.

school

The Jewish elementary school with the teacher's apartment was attached to the synagogue. First mentioned in 1825, it was probably the oldest of its kind in Niederhessen. It was visited by 26 children in 1877 and by 48 children in 1882. The school was closed by the National Socialists on January 1, 1934 ; at that time 14 children were still in school.

Later use

From 1938 to 1991 the former synagogue was privately owned. It was rebuilt soon after it was sold: the gallery was demolished, two false ceilings were put in, a freight elevator was installed and a garage door was broken into the back. After that, the house served as a warehouse and garage for a bakery, but it increasingly fell into disrepair. It was not until 1985 that it was finally listed as a historical monument.

A lot of private commitment motivated the city to buy the building in 1991 and to carry out the necessary extensive renovation with financial support from the district and the state. The restored former synagogue was inaugurated on November 7, 1995. It has been used for cultural purposes ever since. A permanent exhibition documents the Jewish history of Gudensberg.

literature

  • Hessian State Center for Political Education: Remembrance and Commemoration in Hessen , Wiesbaden 1999, p. 25/26 "Kulturhaus Synagoge Gudensberg"

Web links

Coordinates: 51 ° 10 ′ 36 ″  N , 9 ° 22 ′ 9 ″  E