Synagogue

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.

Initially, the Jews living in Brotdorf attended the synagogue in Merzig. By the first half of the 19th century at the latest, a prayer room had been established in Brotdorf in one of the Jewish houses. When the number of Jewish inhabitants had increased relatively strongly around the middle of the 19th century, the community decided to build a synagogue. The previous prayer hall had become too small. In order to finance the synagogue, a house collection was to be held in other communities in the spring of 1854, but this was rejected.

On the Markenhof estate near Kirchzarten Alexander Moch from Schwanau-Nonnenweier operated a farm since 1919, which also served as a hachshara, i.e. preparation for immigration to Palestine. The Markenhof is considered the "first kibbutz of German Jews" (Ruben Frankenstein). The teaching estate was financed by the Jewish entrepreneur Konrad Goldmann. He also established with his funds a synagogue on the farm, whose windows were designed by Friedrich Adler from Laupheim.

On the facade can still be seen the location of the prayer hall: On the 2nd floor on the left, the higher windows testify to the original prayer hall behind it. According to rabbinic tradition, the Torah should be placed at the highest point in the house. The attic above it was not to be used.