Synagogue Hirtenstraße (Penzlin)

According to Gramenz/Ulmer - September 2015

History of the synagogue

  
It is possible that there was a synagogue in the town of Penzlin as early as the first phase of Jewish settlement in Mecklenburg in the 13th century, although direct evidence is lacking. In any case, the first real evidence of Jews worshipping in Penzlin comes from 1752, when the first Judenlandtag was held in Malchin. As the Güstrow rabbi Dr. Leopold Donath reports in his work "History of the Jews in Mecklenburg from the earliest times (1266) to the present (1874)" a rabbi from Penzlin took part in this Landtag. There must therefore have been corresponding prayer rooms in Penzlin at this time.

The Penzlin synagogue passed down in the sources, however, existed only since 1794. The former building complex in today's Hirtenstraße 15-17 (formerly Weberstraße) originally consisted of a residential building and a rear building located in the courtyard. The latter was a half-timbered building and served as the actual place of worship and had been consecrated on July 4, 1791 Little is known about the later architectural history of the former building. Thus, the synagogue was renovated in 1838.

From 1912, the synagogue was used only sporadically due to the now massively reduced membership. After necessary Erhaltungsmaßnamen due to the strained financial situation of the community could no longer sufficiently druchgeführt, this was 1913 in a structurally poor condition. Since the municipality was now overindebted and could no longer raise money for repairs, the building was to be sold at a forced auction on May 20, 1913. However, a son-in-law of the Jacob family of Penzlin took over the liabilities weighing on it and initially prevented the sale.

After the final dissolution of the Jewish community of Penzlin in 1917 the Penzlin Jewess Herta Pinkus acquired the synagogue property.