Reconstruction of Bornplatz Synagogue Landmarks of Jewish History

2020/5780. Reconstruction of Bornplatz Synagogue

During the November Pogroms of 1938, the synagogue on Bornplatz was damaged but not destroyed. In 1939, the city forced its demolition, the costs of which the Congregation had to pay. In 1942, a high-rise bunker, still existing today, was built on part of the property. The rest remained undeveloped, serving as a parking lot for decades. In 1988, the square was redesigned as a memorial.

In response to the antisemitic attack in Halle in October 2019, negotiations began in Hamburg on rebuilding the synagogue on its former site. The Hamburg Jewish Congregation actively sought support from civil society for the project. In early 2020, the city parliament decided to rebuild the synagogue. Jewish and non-Jewish stakeholders debated the reconstruction of the destroyed original and the dismantling of the memorial. This discussion also revealed different perspectives on the culture of remembrance and Jewish self-image.