History of the synagogues
In the Middle Ages, there was a Jewish population group in Görlitz. After being expelled several times in the 13th century, they were denied the right to settle for centuries.1 Due to the new territorial affiliation of Görlitz to Prussia from 1815, the settlement of the Jewish population was permitted from 1847.2 A new Jewish community was founded in 1850.3 From 1853, they used a vaudeville theatre in the backyard of "Hotel Weißes Roß" as a synagogue and adapted the building to its use.4 Over the years, the Jewish community grew and the desire arose for its own synagogue on its own property. Therefore, the community acquired a plot of land on “Otto-Müller-Straße” and built a new synagogue, “Neue Synagoge”, between 1909 and 1911. The architects were William Lossow and Hans Max Kühne.5 The old synagogue was subsequently no longer used by the Jewish community.
When the National Socialists came to power, the Jewish population was arrested and discriminated against, and many emigrated. In 1938, during “Reichskristalnacht”, the new synagogue was set on fire. Through the efforts of the fire brigade, the damage was limited and the supporting structure of the synagogue was preserved.6 The old synagogue, which served as storage for the municipal theatre from 1911, was not damaged during the November pogroms.7
After the persecution under National Socialism, there was almost no Jewish population left in Görlitz. In 1963, the city of Görlitz bought the building of the new synagogue.8 From 1979 onwards, young people organised events to commemorate the pogroms of 1938. This tradition was continued by the Protestant church in the 1980s.9
After 1989, initiatives were organised in Görlitz for the opening and preservation of the new synagogue. Security measures were taken and the building was renovated from 2013 to 2020.10 The synagogue was reopened in 2021 as "Kulturforum Görlitzer Synagoge". Today, the building is primarily used as an event space, with the possibility of parallel use as a synagogue.11 The old synagogue was bought in 2012 by a private people who are making the place partially accessible to the public as a literature house with the mediation of the history.12
- [1] Cf. Otto, Roland: Geduldet und vertrieben – ein historischer Überblick bis 1847. Görlitz 1990, p. 7.
- [2] Cf. ibid, pp. 8/9.
- [3] Cf. ibid, p. 10.
- [4] Cf. Coburger, Antje: Die alte Synagoge. Görlitz; Zittau 2003, p. 27.
- [5] Cf. Roland, Otto: Im Zentrum der Oberlausitzer Juden – Görlitz. Bautzen 1998, p. 114.
- [6] Cf. ibid, p. 125.
- [7] Cf. Coburger 2003 (like note 4), p. 32.
- [8] Cf. Heidrich, Steffen: Neubeginn und Restitutionsfragen 1945–1963. Berlin; Leipzig 2021, p. 131.
- [9] Cf. Klei, Alexandra: Die Synagoge in Görlitz nach 1945. Berlin; Leipzig 2021, p. 144.
- [10] Cf. Jacobowitz, Alex: Die neue Görlitzer Synagoge. Berlin; Leipzig 2021, p. 17.
- [11] Cf. Görlitzer Kulturservicegesellschaft mbH: Kulturforum Görlitzer Synagoge. Online (28.04.2023).
- [12] Cf. Michel, Rainer: Literaturhaus Alte Synagoge. Online (28.04.2023).
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Representation of the synagogues
There are no postcard motifs of the old synagogue as individual motifs or in perspectives. Visually, it is hardly visible from “Langenstraße” because of its location in the backyard and the set-back front.
There is one postcard with the new synagogue, “Neue Synagoge” as a single motif. However, it is not visible on postcards with overall views of the city of Görlitz. In terms of perspective, these were usually made from the north with the focus on the parish church of St. Peter and Paul and the river “Neisse”.
The new synagogue was structurally located far behind the parish church. Furthermore, the synagogue was also surrounded by various other larger buildings, making it solitary and hardly visible in perspective. An exception at this point, then as now, is the view from the east, from the direction of the city park, which shows the single motif.
