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Origin and history

The Synagogue of Soultz-Haut-Rhin is a religious building built between 1835 and 1838 in Rue des Bouchers (present-day Rue de la Synagogue). It replaces an ancient synagogue probably located on the current Louis Pasteur Street, where a house dating from 1729 still bears a Hebrew inscription and would have housed a ritual bath. This project is part of a growing Jewish community: in 1808 it had 231 members, justifying the construction of a new place of worship.

Jewish history in Soultz dates back to the 13th century, when families settled there with the permission of the bishop of Strasbourg. Chased in 1349 during the black plague epidemic, the Jews returned to the end of the 15th century, settling mainly in the street of the Jews (now Louis Pasteur Street). The 19th century synagogue, used until 1939, is now disused. It was listed as historic monuments in 1984 for its heritage value.

The building, owned by an association, is distinguished by its architecture and its role in local history. A cellar gate dating from 1729, located at 53 rue du Maréchal de Lattre, recalls the ancient Jewish presence in this neighborhood. The current synagogue, although not used for worship, remains a symbol of the Jewish heritage of Alsace and the memory of the communities that marked Soultz-Haut-Rhin.

Available sources, including the work of Moïse Ginsburger (1939), document this story, while official references such as the Merimée and Monumentum base specify its legal status and location. Today, the building is classified under Insee 68315 (High Rhine) and is one of the historical monuments of the Great East.

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