Zerrener Street Synagogue

In 1891/92 the new synagogue was built on the property Zerrennerstraße 26/28 and was solemnly consecrated on December 27, 1892 . The design for the new synagogue, built in Moorish-Gothic style, came from Prof. Ludwig Levy (1854-1907) from Karlsruhe; the Pforzheim architect Klein was responsible for the execution.

Characteristic was the central dome. The masonry featured striped color changes, with red sandstone alternating with green brick stripes. The Star of David on the dome and the stylized commandment tablets with the Hebrew sentence beginnings of the Ten Commandments above the entrance on the southwest corner tower identified the building as a synagogue. Behind the synagogue stood a community hall with meeting and teaching rooms, the community administration and with the official apartment of the synagogue servant.

The synagogue set an architectural highlight of the city of Pforzheim. A large organ was also installed. A mixed synagogue choir enriched the organization of the services.

The synagogue in Pforzheim remained the center of Jewish community life in the city for 45 years. Early on it became a target of attack by National Socialists: so early December 1922 several panes of the front of the synagogue were broken by stones.  
  
In the November pogrom of 1938 the synagogue was ransacked and destroyed on the morning of November 10 by SA men and other NSDAP party members in civilian clothes.
The synagogue building had to be demolished in 1939 at the expense of the Jewish community to the tune of 7,000 Reichsmarks. The synagogue property was bought by a factory owner. The Jewish community could still use its community center until the deportation of the Jews to Gurs in October 1940. In 1945 the synagogue property was confiscated and transferred to the Jewish Property Administration. On the basis of restitution proceedings, it was returned to the factory owner in return for an additional payment of 25,000 marks.