The former synagogue of Essen, built in 1913, has served as a memorial, a discussion forum and venue for various events since 1980. Before 1933, Essen was home to over 4,500 Jews - about 2,500 of them perished in ghettos and death camps in the east.

Essen, 1915, Historical exterior view of the synagogue, Stadtbildstelle Essen


Essen, 2010, Exterior view of the Old Synagogue in Essen, Stadtbildstelle Essen

The history of the Jewish community in Essen dates back to 1291, when Jews were for the first time mentioned in municipal records. During the 14th century, the Jews were expelled from Essen. In the 18th century, individual Jews settled in Essen anew, and in the 19th century, several Jewish families moved to the Essen urban area. A Jewish community was founded in 1858. Due to the constantly rising number of members, the community built a new house of prayer in Steeler Straße 29, which was dedicated as the »New Synagogue« in 1913. The community continued to grow: in 1925, there were about 4,500 Jews in Essen.
With the National Socialists' rise to power in 1933 began the exclusion of Essen's Jews from public life; many were no longer permitted to exercise their profession. By 1938, about 80 percent of all Jewish businesses had been »Aryanised« - the owners were forced to sell them well below value. During the »Kristallnacht« on November 9/10, 1938, National Socialists set fire to the synagogue and its entire interior burned out. About 700 Jewish men were deported to the Dachau concentration camp, but they were released by 1939. After that, more than half of Essen's Jews emigrated until 1941. In 1941 and 1942, the SS deported the remaining Jews of Essen to ghettos and extermination camps in the east.

Essen, 1915, Historical exterior view of the synagogue, Stadtbildstelle Essen


Essen, 2010, Exterior view of the Old Synagogue in Essen, Stadtbildstelle Essen

Over half of the Jewish population of Essen was able to flee abroad between 1933 and 1941. The Jews who remained in Essen were deported to ghettos and extermination camps in the east in the years 1941 and 1942. About 2,500 of them perished.

Essen, probably 1945, Destroyed interior of the synagogue, Alte Synagoge Essen

The exterior of the synagogue in Essen remained for the most part undamaged during the Second World War, its interior, however, was left in the destroyed state of 1938. After 1945, the building became derelict. In 1959, the city of Essen purchased the building from the post-war Jewish community, which had in the meantime established a new, smaller synagogue. The city had the building's core removed and used the space to display an exhibition on industrial design. Since November 9, 1980, the synagogue has served as a memorial site. Its interior was restored between 1987 and 1988. Today, the Old Synagogue is both a memorial and a documentation centre and aims to be a meeting place and a place of learning. In July 2010, following renovation work, the »Old Synagogue« was reopened as a house of Jewish culture. Exhibitions on Jewish history and culture are shown and events related to these themes regularly take place here.

Essen, 1913, Main hall of the synagogue on Yom Kippur, Alte Synagoge Essen


Essen, 2010, Renovated interior of the synagogue, Stadtbildstelle Essen

Name

»Alte Synagoge« Essen Haus jüdischer Kultur

Address

Steeler Straße 29
45127 Essen

Phone

+49 (0)201 884 521 8

Fax

+49 (0)201 884 522 5

Web

http://www.alte-synagoge.essen.de

E-Mail

alte-synagoge@essen.de

Open

Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
Closed on January 1, May 1, December 24 and 31.

Possibilities

Exhibition, guided tours, audio guide, archive on the history of Essen Jews, events, library