Buildings

 

The Kaiserslautern synagogue, 29 August 1938
Some days before the demolition

 

Examples:
- The Synagogue of Kaiserslautern
- The Cathedral of Worms
- The Cathedral in the Computer

Introduction

One of the German cultural heritages is the lack of historical buildings compared with other countries. During World War II many cities, regions had been destroyedby air-raids up to 60, 70 or 80%. What was not destroyed vanished during the times of the recovery in the 60's or 70's. Especially in Kaiserslautern the visitor can hardly find real historical architectural fabric. One of these "vanished" buildings was the synagogue of Kaiserslautern.

The Kaiserslautern Synagogue: Built in 1886, demolished 31 August 1938
The synagogue, consecrated 26 February 1886 had been the most important synagogue in the Palatinate region for 52 years. The architect Ludwig Levy drew up a self-confident monument in the centre of Kaiserslautern. Its Moorish-Byzantine style lent the town its character in these days. There were 620 seats, 420 for menand 200 for women on the women gallery. In 1933 there were 738 parishioners, in 1945 less than 25……

Kaiserslautern, the domicile of the Medienzentrum Kaiserslautern, was intended by the Nazi regime to become the capital of the "Westgau"/"Western District"

because of its geographical location. As the city was supposed to get a "national socialism face" the Kaiserslautern synagogue was pulled down even before the "Reichsprogromnacht" (9 November 1938), the night when the German synagogues burned. The official justification was that the synagogue didn't match with the townscape and the place was needed for a parade place……

The last service took place 27 August 1938, the demolition started 31 August 1938. Only 42 years after the blasting (8 October 1980) the area of the former synagogue was renamed in "Place of the Synagogue" and a inconspicuous stone was put up. Again 22 years later, 20 September 2002, the construction of amemorial started. It will symbolise the archway of the synagogue which withstood the blasting up to the end - like a symbol of resistance against the Nazis.

Reconstruction of the archway 25 February 2003 

There are only a few documents left in the archives of Kaiserslautern, the Palatinate Library and the Medienzentrum Kaiserslautern or in private ownership. After all these years contemporary witnesses decrease. The only remaining film documents of the destruction are made by Peter Turgetto, the founder of the MZKL. You can find theses dramatic scenes in our video "12 Years and 12 Days", describing the dark times of the National socialism in Kaiserslautern. The video is available by the Medienzentrum Kaiserslautern.

Postcards: Kaiserslautern synagogue 1886 - 1938 (Virtual reconstruction)

   

   

The virtual reconstruction - the chance of new technologies in the culture of memory

In 1994 the Technical University Darmstadt started a project called "Visualisation of the demolished". The new technology of 3d-cad-simulations enables new forms of the presentation of not longer existing buildings. This style wasn't and isn't possible with the traditional methods like illustrations and architecture models.

Why 1994? It is the time when fire was set on the synagogue of Lübeck, when the ideas of right-wing extremism made itself felt. Prof Manfred Koob and eight students of architecture started their work.

The systematic demolition of more than 1400 synagogues was the sinister announcement of what happened then. The annihilation of a flourishing culture followed the murder of about six millions European Jews. Not only the buildings had been demolished but also the documents. Only fragments remained - and during the investigations by the students ignorance and insensitivity became evident concerning the left documents and locations of the synagogues to this day.

The combination between the technology of 3d-cad-simulations and ICT, especially the internet, leads to a new kind of "memory culture". Memory is accessible everywhere, by everyone and every time.

Contact:
Marc Grellert
TU Darmstadt, department CAD in Architecture, Prof. Manfred Koob
grellert@hrzpub.tu-darmstadt.de

Literature:
Synagogen in Deutschland - eine virtuelle Rekonstruktion
Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 2000

Links:
www.synagogen.info : The internet archive of more than 2000 German synagogues

www.cad.architectur.tu-darmstadt.de

The cover of the book "Synagogue in Germany" with the archway of the Kaiserslautern synagogue and the "wire model" for the virtual reconstruction

 

 

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