Industrial · Churches

Synagogue du Quai Kléber

Strasbourg

The Synagogue du Quai Kléber was a monumental synagogue in Strasbourg built between 1896 and 1898 in the Neo-Romanesque style. It stood on Quai Kléber and was designed by architect Ludwig Levy of Karlsruhe, with work beginning on 9 April 1896 and the foundation stone laid in a public ceremony. The masonry was completed in November 1897, and the interior arrangement was finished in September 1898.

The synagogue was inaugurated on 8 September 1898 after a farewell ceremony at the Synagogue Sainte-Hélène, with Torah scrolls carried in procession to the new building. It featured a 54-meter octagonal tower, large porticoes, turrets, and an architecture said to recall the imperial cathedrals of Mainz, Speyer, and Worms. With 1,639 seats and a prayer hall for 100 people, it served religious and social life for 42 years. The building was also used for Jewish festivals and annual civil celebrations and was regarded as a symbol of the Jewish community’s integration with the French Republic. It was set on fire and destroyed by the Nazis in September 1940.

Map showing the location of Synagogue du Quai Kléber in Strasbourg
Location of Synagogue du Quai Kléber in Strasbourg

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History of the Synagogue du Quai Kleber

The Synagogue du Quai Kleber was a monumental synagogue in Strasbourg. It was built between 1896 and 1898 in the Neo-Romanesque style. The building later suffered destruction when it was set on fire by the Nazis in September 1940.

Construction and Role of the Synagogue du Quai Kleber

By 1889, Strasbourg's Jewish community was considering a new synagogue because of rapid demographic growth. A commission was formed to identify a suitable site and raise funds for the project. As Strasbourg had been part of Germany since 1871, the new building was entrusted to architect Ludwig Levy of Karlsruhe. Work began officially on April 9, 1896, with the laying of the foundation stone, in the presence of the architect, craftsmen, the rabbi, the president of the Jewish community, and members of the public. Masonry work was completed on November 27, 1897, and the interior arrangement was finished in September 1898.

The synagogue stood on Kléber Quay and was marked by a 54 meter high octagonal tower, large porticoes, turrets, and a neoromanesque style. Its design recalled the imperial cathedrals of Mainz, Speyer, and Worms. The building had a capacity of 1639 seats, including 825 for men, 654 for women, and 40 for choristers, as well as a prayer hall for 100 people.

A double ceremony took place on September 8, 1898, combining the farewell to the Synagogue Sainte Helene with the inauguration of the new building. During the ceremony, the Torah scrolls were carried in procession to the new synagogue. The inauguration was officiated by Chief Rabbi Isaac Weil, with architect Gustave Levy present.

For 42 years, the synagogue served as a setting for religious and social life. It hosted Jewish festivals and annual civic celebrations such as November 11 and July 14. Storia describes it as a symbol of the Jewish community's integration with the French Republic and as one of Strasbourg's most characteristic buildings, widely represented in photographs and postcards. Plans also existed to build a large community center beside the synagogue.

Destruction during the Second World War

The outbreak of World War II and the German occupation ended the community center projects connected to the synagogue. According to Storia, the building was set on fire by Hitler Youth groups on September 12, 1940, in line with Nazi ritual. A second fire on the night of September 30 and October 1, 1940, completely destroyed the synagogue. Nazi authorities announced in March 1941 that the ruins would be demolished, and the removal of the remains continued rapidly in the following months, with dynamite used in November 1941.

Memorials at the Former Site

No traces of the Synagogue du Quai Kleber remain in Strasbourg today. The local Jewish community later inaugurated the Synagogue of Peace in 1958 at a different location. At the site of the former synagogue, a memorial was first erected on October 3, 1976. This memorial was expanded in 1996, and a second addition was installed in 2012 to honor French Righteous Among the Nations.