Recall a night of shattering glass. That’s what the Gedenkstein am Standort der alten Synagoge Stele asks us to remember. This stele marks the location where Dresden’s Old Synagogue once stood. It serves as a constant reminder of a tragic event in history.
The Gedenkstein am Standort der alten Synagoge Stele stands as a memorial. It honors the victims of fascism and the Holocaust. Inaugurated in 1975, it has become a central site for remembrance. Each year on November 9th, a ceremony takes place here. Representatives from the Jewish community, the city, and political groups gather. They commemorate the pogrom with wreath laying and prayers for the dead.
The Semper Synagogue was designed by Gottfried Semper. It was built between 1838 and 1840. The synagogue was a testament to architectural innovation. Semper was the first architect to use Moorish designs for a synagogue. His style influenced many other architects.
Chief Rabbi Dr. Zacharias Frankel spoke at the opening. He said they didn’t seek to brag with an opulent building. They desired a place of worship for devout communion with God.
The synagogue’s exterior was Romanesque. The interior featured an elaborate Moorish Revival style. It had a two-tiered balcony with columns inspired by the Alhambra. Intricate designs adorned the arches and balcony fronts. These were painted on plaster to mimic costly materials.
Semper designed all the furnishings. He considered each project a Gesamtkunstwerk. He created a Ner Tamid. This silver lamp of eternal light stood before the Torah scrolls. Richard Wagner and his wife Cosima admired it. They tried to get a copy of this lamp.
The Nazis destroyed the Semper Synagogue on Kristallnacht in 1938. They burned it down on November 9th. The Jewish congregation was billed for the removal of the ruins. Fireman Alfred Neugebauer saved the Star of David from the burning roof. He hid it and returned it to the congregation in 1949.
Today the Gedenkstein am Standort der alten Synagoge Stele stands as a memorial. It is a reminder of what was lost. The inscription on the stele serves as an eternal warning. It speaks of the synagogue destroyed by fascists. The Gedenkstein am Standort der alten Synagoge Stele ensures that we never forget. It keeps the memory of the Semper Synagogue alive.