Great Synagogue, Katowice

The Great Synagogue in Katowice was built in 1900 at the former Tiele - Winckler - place today at ( August- Schneider Strasse) Mickiewicza in Katowice and, until its destruction in 1939 for one of the largest Jewish houses of worship in Upper Silesia.

History and Architecture

The monumental construction of synagogue replaced the Old Synagogue of 1862 at ul 3 Maja, who did not offer enough space for the ever- growing Jewish population of the city with a total of 320 seats. The Great Synagogue was built from local contractors Ignatz Grünfeld, which had already built the Old Synagogue. As a building material was chosen brick and natural stone ( used to divide the building). The new, splendidly equipped building cost 500,000 gold marks and recorded on the floor plan of a cross-shaped central building constructed especially elements of the Renaissance and the Mauritanian style, but also the Gothic Revival. In its interior 1184 people found place. The synagogue was formed together with the mikveh and the Municipal House and the built urban high school in the same year an architectural unit. Characteristic of the Stadtsilouette was the huge dome.

The synagogue remained just under four decades to get to 8 September 1939 it was put on the day of the marched straight to Katowice Wehrmacht on fire and then completely destroyed. Today is located at the place a marketplace that Plac Synagogi ( Synagogue Square ) is called. In July of 1988, a memorial to the Jewish Katowicer who were murdered by the Germans in 1939-1945, built.

Like the Or Chaim Foundation informed, there is a chance that the Katowicer synagogue is being rebuilt.