Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Synagogue of Thann, located at 5 rue de l'Etang, was built between 1859 and 1862 in a neo-Byzantine style by architect Victor Heilmann, on the site of an old Synagogue Barn of 1817. This project is part of a desire to embellish the city while meeting the religious needs of a growing Jewish community since the 17th century. The building, characterized by its arcades, vaults and domes, also includes a mikve ( ritual bath), a dressing room and a house for the rabbi. Inaugurated on June 10, 1862 by Rabbi Salomon Moock, the synagogue became a symbol of the rebirth of the community after centuries of persecution.

The synagogue suffered major damage during the 1915 bombings during the First World War, requiring restoration completed in 1924. During the Second World War, it was sacked by the Nazis and turned into a Winterhilfswerk building, before being returned to the community in 1948. Restoration campaigns took place in 1975 and the 21st century, thanks in particular to the commitment of the association Les Amis de la Synagogue de Thann, created to preserve this heritage. The site, including the old Jewish cemetery on Humberger Street (with tombs dating from the 17th century), is listed as historical monuments in December 2016.

The Jewish community of Thann, attested from the 13th century, has a turbulent history, marked by waves of persecution (burning in 1309, expulsions) and periods of rebirth, especially after the Thirty Years' War (1648). In the 19th century, it had up to 630 members (1885), before declining after world wars. The synagogue, the last architectural testimony of this presence, ceased to receive offices after 1983. Today, the place is valued at cultural events, such as the European Days of Jewish Culture, and enjoys support such as that of the Bern Mission (23 000 € in 2018).

The mikvé, rediscovered in 2014 during archaeological excavations conducted by INRAP, dates back to 1860 and was originally located in a Badenhaus (bathhouse) destroyed during the First War. The old Jewish cemetery, restored in 2015, is distinguished by its steles inspired by the Gothic of the collegiate Saint-Thiébaut, reflecting a desire for harmony with local architecture. These elements, associated with the synagogue, form a rare heritage complex, bearing witness to the multi-series history of the Jews in Alsace.

Among the notable figures related to the synagogue, Rabbi Salomon Moock (1858–73) played a key role in its inauguration and the foundation of local Israeli schools. Other rabbis, such as Benjamin Meyer or Jean Poliatschek (named in 1948), mark his history, as do the ministers-officials who serve before the Shoah. The community, decimated after 1944 (only 35 survivors), has never fully recovered, but its heritage remains preserved through local and national initiatives.

The Association Les Amis de la Synagogue de Thann works for the restoration of the site and its transformation into a place of memory, with projects such as the creation of a Jewish museum in the former Rabbi's house. The synagogue, winner of the 2018 Lotto du Patrimoine, receives public and private funding for urgent work (roof, infiltration). Events, such as the conferences of Grand Rabbi Haim Korsia (2023), perpetuate his cultural and memorial vocation.

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