Square of the Old Synagogue (Freiburg im Breisgau)

The Old Synagogue Square in Freiburg im Breisgau is a place of remembrance of Jewish life and its temporary extinction. Here stood the synagogue of the Jewish community of Freiburg from 1870 to 1938. Its complete destruction during the November pogrom was followed by the expulsion and murder of all 1,138 Freiburg Jews. After the Second World War, the city of Freiburg remained in possession of the site as a result of a settlement with the newly founded Jewish community. On the green overgrown square, it installed a memorial plaque and a traffic sign pointing in the direction of the concentration camp Gurs (France), where many Freiburg Jews perished.

During the extensive reconstruction of the square in 2016/17, the city had a fountain built in the shape of the ground plan of the old synagogue. On the bottom of the fountain the old memorial plaque was installed. In the aftermath of the new construction, a dispute arose with the Orthodox Jewish Community and the Egalitarian Chawurah Gescher Community, which today represent Freiburg Jews. On the one hand, remnants of the old foundation were found in 2016 during construction work. Instead of talking to the Jewish communities about how to deal with the remains, the city had the stones dug up and removed from the site. The communities were angry, as they would have liked to see the remains of the foundation, which were sacred to them incorporated into the new memorial. On the other hand, they complained about the use of the walk-in fountain: on warm summer days it became a paddling pool for babies and children. In the eyes of the communities they thus destroy the calm surface of the water, which is supposed to allow reflection. The city drew first consequences by having admonishing stelae erected at the fountain. Currently, a rebuilding of the fountain is being debated. The Jewish communities regularly use the site for events.