A simple bronze stele. Unassuming. Yet it speaks volumes. This is the Gedenkstele an der alten Synagoge in Trier. Right here on Zuckerbergstrasse. This unassuming monument marks a significant site. A site where a vibrant community once thrived.
Before us stands a bronze memorial. It commemorates the former synagogue. Erected in 1860 it was a symbol of hope. Hope for a growing Jewish community. Chief Rabbi Josef Kahn led this community. He championed reform Judaism. He sought to integrate the Jewish community into wider German society. This was not without its challenges. Tensions arose with Orthodox Jews. They were concerned about the pace of assimilation. They preferred to maintain a separate identity.
The synagogue itself was a modest structure. Built of sandstone it possessed simple neo-Romanesque elements. Think of the modest graves in the old Jewish cemetery on Weidegasse. You can almost imagine its simple elegance. Sadly that elegance was brutally shattered. On the night of November 9 1938. This is the night the Nazis unleashed their fury. The Kristallnacht. The Reichspogromnacht.
The synagogue was looted. It was burned. It was destroyed. This act of vandalism was not an isolated incident. It was part of a larger campaign. The Nazis aimed to eradicate Jewish life. This included the systematic persecution. It culminated in the deportation of hundreds of Jews. Deportation to the extermination camps of the east. Many perished at their destinations. A tragedy of immense proportions.
This stele a poignant reminder. It reminds us of the destruction. Of the loss. But it also stands for resilience. Even after the destruction around 300 Jews managed to emigrate. After the war a small group returned. They rebuilt the community. They dedicated the new synagogue in 1957. The old synagogue was demolished in 1958.
Every year a commemoration takes place here. A ceremony remembering the victims. Remembering the tragic events of that night. This Gedenkstele an der alten Synagoge in Trier. A solemn reminder. A testament to the resilience of the Jewish people. A symbol of hope in the face of unimaginable darkness. Let us remember. Let us never forget.