Description

 Kirchhain, Germany: Kirchhain, Germany.  Built 1904. Interior burnt and destroyed, Nov 9, 1938, Kristallnacht.

There had been a Jewish presence, albeit strained, in Kirchhain since the year 1592.  It has been recorded, that during the 1600s, the Christian community complained, among other things, about their shofar blowing. Never the less, the Jewish community remained, and by the early 1930s included about 200 members.

On Nov 9, 1938, Kristallnacht, the SS raided the homes of Kirchhain’s Jewish residents, beating people and pillaging homes. The synagogue was attacked; its benches were thrown from its gallery, the lamps and chandeliers were smashed, and finally the interior was torched. The adjacent community center, housing a mikveh, school , and an apartment for the teacher who also served as shochet and chazzan, was also destroyed.

The synagogue was converted to use as a combination barn to store straw and hay, and storage area for raw materials for an nearby  iron munitions factory.    Kirchhain’s Jews were deported in 1941 and 1942.
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(10 ½ high X 13 inches wide X 4 ½ inches deep)