An der Stadtmünze 5
99084 Erfurt
Germany
After centuries of expulsion, Jews were allowed to settle in Erfurt again from 1809. With growing settlement, construction of the Small Synagogue as a community center for Erfurt Jews was begun in 1839 . The neoclassical style building was completed just one year later. Due to a strong growth of the congregation, the synagogue became too small after only 44 years and it was decided to build a new, larger synagogue. So in 1884 the Gro;e Synagogue was built on Kartäuserring (today Juri-Gagarin-Ring). The Small Synagogue was then sold to the merchant C. C. Römpler, who had the building heavily modified. From then on, the building served as a barrel warehouse and distillery. In 1918, the building, which was now owned by the city, was converted into a residential building. Therefore, the building survived the Nazi period unscathed and continued to be used as a residential building until 1993.
In 1992, the Small Synagogue was placed under monument protection, then renovated and converted into a Jewish-German meeting center. The original condition of the interior was restored.
On 9 November 1998, the building was ceremoniously opened as a meeting place "Kleine Synagoge". Since then, exhibitions and events on Jewish life have been held there, and there is also a library. Also, the mikvah in the basement can be visited.
