Beneath our feet lies history. It is a history marked by both light and shadow. We stand before Lichtzeichen Floridsdorfer Tempel Light. This memorial marks the former location of the Floridsdorfer Tempel. The Nazis destroyed it in 1938.
Lichtzeichen Wien is a project. It commemorates synagogues destroyed during the November Pogrom. The Jewish Museum Vienna and the University of Applied Arts collaborated. They unveiled the project in 2018. This marked the 80th anniversary of the Pogrom.
Look closely at the five-meter-tall structure. This is a “Sternstele” or star pillar. Artist Lukas Kaufmann designed it. Note the intertwined Star of David. It glows as a symbol of remembrance.
The original Floridsdorfer Tempel stood here from 1875 to 1877. Architects Andreas Streit and Johannes Schaffer designed it. The synagogue could seat 234 people on the ground floor. It also had 156 gallery seats. In 1905, they added a winter prayer hall.
The Floridsdorfer Tempel faced east. This complicated access through the vestibule. An entryway was built on the courtyard side. Later, access was provided via Holzmeistergasse. This explains why Holzmeistergasse is sometimes listed as the location.
Interestingly, the synagogue was handed over to the German Red Cross before its destruction. The plan was to convert it into a medical station. However, this never happened. It instead became a storage facility.
During the Battle of Vienna in 1945, bombs devastated the area. A building application was submitted in 1949 to rebuild the temple. However, construction was blocked. The Schindlergasse was being widened. It is now called Freytaggasse.
Notice the absence of towering structures. The Floridsdorfer Tempel had a modest design. This was likely due to limited funds. Instead of towers, it used pairs of columns. These had Corinthian capitals. The interior got daylight mainly from the windows.
The Lichtzeichen Floridsdorfer Tempel Light stands as a symbol. It is a symbol of resilience and memory. It reminds us of the vibrant community. That community once thrived here. It also serves as a warning. Never forget the atrocities of the past.