This section is meant to give a small glimpse of the diverse pre-Holocaust Jewish life in Nurnberg. If others send in more photographs and text, this section can grow into a separate webpage. So far we have some information about the liberal congregation and the orthodox congregation which existed before the war. There were two synagogues in Nurnberg for which we have some photographs, and a Betsaal (Prayer Room) in a business building at Feuerweg 6. We must thank Gerhard Jochem of the Nurnberg Archives for many of these pictures and text. If anyone has more information about the pre-war Jewish life, please feel free to email us.

This is a picture of the main (liberal) Synagogue (Hauptsynagoge)that existed in Nuremberg up until August of 1938. The Mayor of the City of Nuremberg expropriated the synagogue on August 3, 1938, as the heads of the Jewish Congregation did not agree to sell the synagogue. There was a large Nazi rally with speeches from the mayor Willi Liebel and the Gauleiter Julius Streicher and others in front of the synagogue on August 10, 1938 and at that time they started to demolish the synagogue. It was not burnt like the other synagogues on Kristallnacht (Pogromnacht November 9, 1938).
Another view during construction.
Interior view of the Main Synagogue.
You can see the roof of the Main Synagogue in the distance. It was a major part of the skyline before it was destroyed on August 10, 1938.
Another view of the Main Synagogue.
A different view.

If you visit the place where the grand synagogue once stood, (Hans Sachs Platz) all you will see is this small pedestal with a copper plaque showing the image of the former synagogue.
This is a photograph of the orthodox synagogue (Adas Israel) on Essenweinstrasse.

Drawing shortly after construction.

Interior of the orthodox Adas Israel Synagogue on Essenweinstrasse. This is a picture of the interior of the synagogue taken after the fire.

This is a picture of the orthodox Adas Israel Synagogue on Essenweinstrasse which was burnt down on Kristallnacht (November 9, 1938).

Rabbi Dr. Arnold Abraham Klein, head of the orthodox Adas Israel Congregation 1909-1939).

Rabbi Dr. Max Freudenthal, head of the liberal congregation 1907-1934.

Rabbi Dr. Kurt Metzger (1909-1992)was the liberal congregation's last rabbi, even though only for a few months. Rabbi Dr. Isaak Heilbronn was the assistant rabbi of Rabbi Freudenthal. After Rabbi Freudenthal, Rabbi Dr. Hans Andorn (1903-1945 Bergen-Belson) was the congregation's rabbi from 1934-1938. When Rabbi Dr. Andorn left Germany for Holland, Rabbi Dr. Heilbronn became the Rabbi from 1938-1939. He then emigrated to the United States leaving Dr. Kurt Metzger as the "last rabbi of the old congregation".

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There was an architectural competition to erect the Main Synagogue on Hans Sachs Platz. Here are renderings of the concepts that were NOT get built. Non selected submission.
Non selected submission.
Non selected submission.
Interior design of the synagogue which was NOT built. This was not the winning submission from the architectural competition.

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CURRENT TIMES
The modern smaller building next to the Seniors Home is now used as the synagogue in Nurnberg.
Interior view of the current synagogue.

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