Graz Synagogue

The Graz synagogue is situated on David-Herzog-Platz, on the right bank of the Mur River in the 5th district of Graz, known as Gries.The synagogue in Graz serves as the successor to the previous Jewish community in Graz (IKG Graz) and is now a part of the Jewish community in Vienna. Its main focus is to support Jews residing in Graz, as well as those from Styria, Carinthia, and southern Burgenland.She is located next to the Grazer Beth HaMidrash – Small Synagogue, which is one of two Jewish places of worship in the Styrian capital.

During the Middle Ages, Jews resided in the capital of Inner Austria and played a significant role as traders. Additionally, they established a notable settlement in the region, particularly in Judenburg.

Old synagogue

The Israelite Corporation was founded in Graz as early as 1863 by the Jewish settlers who had already established themselves there.The Jewish community in Graz was established in 1869.

The original Graz synagogue, designed by architect Maximilian Katscher (1858-1917), was constructed between 1890 and 1892, just like the administrative building.Katscher, who had studied at the Technical University in Vienna, was also the designer of the Herzmansky department store in Vienna and the Kurhaus in Baden, located near Vienna.The model for Katscher’s building was the synagogue in Dresden, which was constructed by Gottfried Semper in the late 1930s.The temple’s structure, featuring a domed central building, and its formal design, which incorporated a repertoire of Byzantine-Romanesque forms, were both influenced by the Dresden model. However, Katscher further developed these elements independently.The building, which was eventually completed, included the adjoining office building and school mentioned earlier. These structures were designed to have a uniform appearance. The building’s location on the banks of the Mur river provided an impressive view.

The synagogue, which had a 30-meter high outer dome, served as the central hub of the Jewish community in Graz until 1938. The community consisted of approximately 2,500 members.During the November pogroms of November 9 and 10, 1938, unidentified individuals, acting under the influence of the SA, set fire to the synagogue. The synagogue was subsequently destroyed and the entire area was leveled in order to erase the memory of it.Fortunately, the office building of the Jewish community was not affected by the arson.All Jewish residents of Graz were later deported to Vienna, resulting in Graz being declared the first city in the Ostmark to be free of Jewish inhabitants.

Following the war, a modest number of approximately 150 Jews chose to resettle in Graz.The Jewish religious community in Graz, which had been dissolved in 1940, was reestablished in 1952.Your district comprises the federal states of Styria, Carinthia, and the Burgenland political districts of Oberwart, Güssing, and Jennersdorf.Prior to 1988, the site where the synagogue once stood was simply a lawn. However, the city of Graz took the initiative to erect a memorial stone in the shape of a black obelisk at this location. This memorial stone was thoughtfully incorporated into the architectural design when the new synagogue was constructed.

New synagogue

In 1983, the artist Fedo Ertl reached out to the Jewish community with a proposal to excavate the foundations of the old synagogue. However, the community leadership at the time rejected the request due to concerns about potential anti-Semitic actions. According to Ertl’s research, it was discovered that certain bricks from the old synagogue were repurposed in 1939 to construct a garage located on Alberstraße in Graz.

On October 21, 1998, the Graz city parliament unanimously made the decision to rebuild the Graz synagogue, with all parties in agreement.The construction of the synagogue in Graz was commissioned by the Municipality of Graz. It was primarily made possible thanks to the efforts of Kurt David Brühl, who was the President of the Jewish Community in Graz at that time.

The architectural couple from Graz, Jörg and Ingrid Mayr, were entrusted with the task of executing the project. They had previously been commissioned to redesign the ceremonial hall in the Jewish cemetery in Graz, which had been destroyed. They proceeded to work on Ertl’s plans.Around 9,600 bricks from the old synagogue were repurposed for the construction of the new building. Prior to their reuse, these bricks were thoroughly cleaned by students from the Bundesrealgymnasium Lichtenfelsgasse, the Higher Technical Federal School, and the commercial school and commercial academy in Grazbachgasse.The obelisk, which was erected on the site of the former synagogue in 1988, has been relocated and is now positioned beneath the glass bimah.

The new synagogue was constructed using brick, reinforced concrete, and glass as the primary materials.The cube and sphere are fundamental geometric shapes that define both the interior space and the external appearance of the synagogue.The new synagogue, which opened on November 9, 2000, follows the same layout as the old synagogue. However, it is smaller in size due to the fact that the Jewish community in Graz now consists of just over 100 members. This is a significant decrease compared to the membership before the Second World War.

In the interior, there is a glass almemor, also known as a bimah, located at the center. This is the designated area where the Torah is read.The Torah scrolls are stored in the Torah ark, which is located directly behind.The room features a prominent glass dome adorned with twelve columns. These columns symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel and are arranged in the shape of a Star of David. The dome serves as a commemoration of the previously constructed synagogue that was unfortunately destroyed.The color blue is used to symbolize heaven in the prayer room.Jewish prayers are inscribed onto glass using the sandblasting technique.