Great Synagogue (Katowice)
Encyclopedia
Great Synagogue was the largest synagogue in Katowice
(Kattowitz) , Poland
then Germany. It was built in 1900, designed by Ignatz Grünfeld. The synagogue was set on fire by Nazis on 4 September 1939.
. The construction begun in 1896, and the architect in charge was Max Grünfeld, son of Ignatz Grünfeld who designed the old synagogue. The construction was finished in 1900 and the synagogue was opened on 12 October 1900.
In 1901 the newly build synagogue hosted the World Zionist Congress.
The synagogue was set on fire by Nazis on 4 September 1939, soon after they gained control of the city after the invasion of Poland (1939)
. After the war the few Jews who survived the Holocaust were unable to gather enough resources and support to rebuild the synagogue. Today in the place where this building once stood is a square (Synagogue Square). In the 1988 a monument was raised in the square, dedicated to the Jewish inhabitants of the city who perished during the Second World War.
in style mixing neogothic with neorenaissance, eclecticism
and the mauretian style; similar to the style of reformed Judaism synagogues in contemporary Germany
.
The synagogue had a large dome
with a cross-ribbed vault over the main prayer chamberm which was proceeded by a large entrance hall with offices and the chamber of marriage. The main chamber was topped with a lantern
. Other characteristics elements included large decorated windows and small towers.
The main chamber could hold 1120 people; 670 males and 450 females.
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
(Kattowitz) , Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
then Germany. It was built in 1900, designed by Ignatz Grünfeld. The synagogue was set on fire by Nazis on 4 September 1939.
History
The plans to raise a new synagogue in Katowice arose around 1890, when the Old Synagogue (Katowice) became too small for the local worshippers of reform JudaismReform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
. The construction begun in 1896, and the architect in charge was Max Grünfeld, son of Ignatz Grünfeld who designed the old synagogue. The construction was finished in 1900 and the synagogue was opened on 12 October 1900.
In 1901 the newly build synagogue hosted the World Zionist Congress.
The synagogue was set on fire by Nazis on 4 September 1939, soon after they gained control of the city after the invasion of Poland (1939)
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
. After the war the few Jews who survived the Holocaust were unable to gather enough resources and support to rebuild the synagogue. Today in the place where this building once stood is a square (Synagogue Square). In the 1988 a monument was raised in the square, dedicated to the Jewish inhabitants of the city who perished during the Second World War.
Design
The brick synagogue was designed on the basis of a modified rectangleRectangle
In Euclidean plane geometry, a rectangle is any quadrilateral with four right angles. The term "oblong" is occasionally used to refer to a non-square rectangle...
in style mixing neogothic with neorenaissance, eclecticism
Eclecticism
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases.It can sometimes seem inelegant or...
and the mauretian style; similar to the style of reformed Judaism synagogues in contemporary Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The synagogue had a large dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
with a cross-ribbed vault over the main prayer chamberm which was proceeded by a large entrance hall with offices and the chamber of marriage. The main chamber was topped with a lantern
Lantern
A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted light fixture used to illuminate broad areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as 'torches', or as general light sources outdoors . Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to...
. Other characteristics elements included large decorated windows and small towers.
The main chamber could hold 1120 people; 670 males and 450 females.