Petersstraße 103
47798 Krefeld
Germany
Markierung in roten Pflastersteinen auf der Marktstrasse wieder her gestellt
In 1852, the Jewish community (at that time 500 members) sold its synagogue property on Juden-Kirch-Strasse. As early as 1851, the community began to build a new synagogue on the corner of Petersstraß and Marktstraß. The new synagogue was a large and representative building in the classicist style with a 40 m high dome, which stood out in the Krefeld cityscape on a par with the Christian churches. Non-Jewish Krefeld citizens donated a total of 2,500 thalers for the construction of the synagogue and thus made a large contribution to the building of the synagogue. The festive dedication, which lasted a total of four days, began on June 17, 1853. The Chief Rabbi Dr. Bodenheimer gave his speech in the presence of the representatives of the town and the other denominations. The synagogue remained unchanged until 1902. Then it was rebuilt by the Krefeld architect Johann Reck, because it had become too small – the congregation grew The number of exits was increased and the synagogue was surrounded with a stucco mantle in the pseudo-Oriental style. The new building was rededicated on July 8, 1903.
In 1927, there were renewed reconstructions of the Krefeld synagogue. This time they were carried out by the architect Max Sippel. The stucco mantle, which had been installed almost 25 years earlier, was chipped off and removed except for the brick core. In addition, the synagogue received twelve stained glass windows designed by Johan Thron-Prikker. Replicas of these windows adorn the Jewish community center today.
During the November pogroms of 1938, the synagogue was set on fire and completely destroyed.
Today, a memorial commemorates the site of the old synagogue. In addition, the building floor plan was embedded in the street pavement and the small plot of land on which the memorial is located bears the street name "at the old synagogue".
