New Synagogue (Düsseldorf)

New Synagogue
German: Leo Baeck Saal
Street view of synagogue exterior
Religion
AffiliationOrthodox Judaism
RiteNusach Ashkenaz
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusSynagogue
StatusActive
Location
LocationZietenstraße 50, Düsseldorf, Golzheim, North Rhine-Westphalia 40476
CountryGermany
New Synagogue (Düsseldorf) is located in North Rhine-Westphalia
New Synagogue (Düsseldorf)
Location of the synagogue in
North Rhine-Westphalia
Geographic coordinates51°14′35″N 6°46′43″E / 51.24306°N 6.77861°E / 51.24306; 6.77861
Architecture
Architect(s)Hermann Zvi Guttmann
TypeSynagogue architecture
Date establishedc. 1900 (as a congregation)
Completed1958
MaterialsConcrete
Website
jgdus.de (in German)
[1]

The New Synagogue (German: Leo Baeck Saal) is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue, located at Zietenstraße 50, in Düsseldorf, in the Golzheim district of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.[2]

History

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The first synagogue, built in 1905,[3] with approximately 1,000 seats, was pillaged and burned by SA men during the Kristallnacht in 1938.[4]

Designed by Hermann Zvi Guttmann, the current synagogue was inaugurated in September 1958[4] and is named in honour of Rabbi Leo Baeck, who served as a pulpit rabbi in Düsseldorf.[5]

Arson attack

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On October 2, 2000, two Arab immigrants committed an arson attack against the synagogue, and the building was firebombed with three Molotov cocktails.[6] Although the perpetrators remained unknown for over two months, most media suspected the attack was done by far-right antisemites.[6][7] The following day, Paul Spiegel, leader of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, called for a clear sign of solidarity with the Jewish victims.[7]

The perpetrators, a 20-year-old Palestinian, and a 19-year-old Moroccan, were identified and arrested on December 6, 2000.[6] Both admitted they wanted to protest against the Israeli occupation policy through the attack.[6]

Since 2000, there is a constant[clarification needed] police watch over the synagogue.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "New Synagogue in Düsseldorf-Golzheim". Historic synagogues of Europe. Foundation for Jewish Heritage and the Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. n.d. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  2. ^ "Hermann Zvi Guttmann and His Design for the New Synagogue at Hohe Weide". Key Documents of German-Jewish History. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  3. ^ "Duesseldorf". Beit Hatfutsot Databases. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Shana tova! Post-WW2 Düsseldorf New Synagogue, inaugurated at Rosh Hashana 1958, to get major renovation". Jewish Heritage Europe. September 14, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  5. ^ s.r.o, Tripomatic. "New Synagogue in Düsseldorf, Germany". travel.sygic.com. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d "Duesseldorfer Synagoge der brandanschlag ist aufgeklaert". Tagesspiegel (in German). December 7, 2000.
  7. ^ a b "Präsident des Zentralrats fordert Zeichen der Solidarität: Brandanschlag auf Synagoge in Düsseldorf". Berliner Zeitung (in German). October 4, 2000.
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Media related to Neue Synagoge Düsseldorf at Wikimedia Commons