Synagogue Haldensleben

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Former synagogue in Haldensleben

The Haldensleben Synagogue was the synagogue of the small Jewish community in the city of Haldensleben in what is now the state of Saxony-Anhalt . Today the building at Steinstraße 18 is used as the house of the other neighbors of the Haldensleben Museum .

architecture

The building, built in 1822, is a small, rectangular hall building with a flat roof and a gable roof . There are three large pointed arch windows on the long sides.

The Gothic design is very unusual for a synagogue. The pointed arched windows in particular seem to take on the architecture of the tower of the Protestant St. Mary's Church, which was built until 1821 . The synagogue is also located in the row of houses on Steinstrasse. Synagogues were previously often built in a courtyard location, shielded from the street. The type of building is seen as a sign of integration, at least the willingness to integrate, of the Jewish citizens of Haldensleben at the time.

history

In 1808 Jacob Herz , known as Friede, was the first Jew to receive citizenship in what was then Neuhaldensleben . The Haldensleben Jewish cemetery was built north of the city as early as 1811 . In the years that followed, the number of citizens of the Jewish faith slowly increased. In 1816 three Jewish citizens are sworn in in a synagogue set up in a private house. In 1821 the Jewish community had grown to 15 members. It was therefore decided to build a synagogue. For this purpose, the master carpenter Andreas Hesse acquired property number 19 in Neuhaldensleber Steinstrasse. The property corresponds to today's numbers 18 and 20.

With the approval of the city ​​council , the synagogue was built and consecrated in 1822. The church was accessed from the west through the house. There was a separate entrance to the women's gallery from an anteroom .

The house as well as the courtyard and garden were sold again in 1832. The buyer was Andreas Wilke, a shepherd from Süplingen . However, access to the synagogue was unchanged through the sold house.

Construction activities are documented for at least 1875. The community, which at that time consisted of 26 members, applied for gravel to fill a ritual bath ( mikveh ) that was no longer in use . It is assumed that other building measures, such as the increase in the women's gallery, also took place during this time.

In 1907, however, the town's Jewish community only had three members. It was decided to give up the synagogue and the building was sold to Hermann Wilke, who in the meantime owned the part of the property that had been sold in 1832. Wilke then rented the house to the city's New Apostolic congregation. Construction work followed. So the entrance was moved to its current location to the east. The room of the former ritual bath serves as a hallway. The gallery was removed.

In 1953 the New Apostolic congregation bought the synagogue building. New construction activities no longer led to significant changes to the building.

The structural condition of the building had deteriorated significantly. The New Apostolic congregation moved into a new building in 2002. The former synagogue was transferred to the Ohrekreis . The Ohrekreis subordinated the building to the Museum Haldensleben. This was followed by extensive renovation in accordance with listed buildings.

On April 17, 2007, the former synagogue was reopened as the house of the other neighbors .

The other neighbors' house

The former synagogue is now used for educational work in museums. According to the history of the house, intercultural and interreligious connections should be presented. The main target group are schoolchildren and adolescents. You should be informed about people of other religions and other origins who lived or still live in Haldensleben. Religious studies, regional history and current topics are to be dealt with, especially in the context of school lessons.

Interior

A candlestick in the shape of an olive tree only came here when the museum was founded. The branches of the olive tree are a symbol for the peaceful coexistence of people.

Several large wooden boxes were set up in the building containing items typical of the various religions or groups.

As part of the restoration, remains of the synagogue's original wall painting were made visible again. A painted cross from the time it was used by the New Apostolic congregation has also been preserved. Furthermore, models of the building from the time as a synagogue and as a New Apostolic community center can be seen.

literature

Web links

Commons : Synagoge Haldensleben  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 52 ° 17 ′ 32.8 "  N , 11 ° 24 ′ 39.5"  E