Liberec marks twenty-five years since the construction of the only post-war synagogue in Czechia
Exactly twenty-five years ago, on November 9, 2000, a new chapter of Jewish history began in Liberec. In the heart of the city, the only synagogue built in Czechia since the end of the Second World War was ceremonially opened. The modern prayer space, housed within the Regional Research Library, stands on the site where one of Central Europe’s largest synagogues once stood.
The current building, which combines the library with a prayer room, fittingly bears the name The Building of Reconciliation. It was created through cooperation between Czech and German institutions, including the Czech-German Future Fund and the German government.
Designed by Liberec architect Radim Kousal, the structure stands out for its thoughtful use of glass, metal and open space. The project, which cost more than half a billion Czech crowns, received the Building of the Year award in 2001.
A return after decades
The new synagogue stands on the very spot where, until 1938, a neo-Renaissance building with a 39-metre tower dominated the city skyline. The original synagogue had been the result of cooperation among local churches and the town council.
On the night of November 9–10, 1938, during the so-called Kristallnacht, it was burned down by the Nazis. The pogrom, which spread across Germany and the annexed Sudetenland, destroyed dozens of synagogues, including the one in Liberec. After the war, of the city’s pre-war Jewish population of 1,400, only 37 survivors returned — those who had endured the concentration camps.
A small community, a lasting legacy
Today, the Jewish community in Liberec has around 60 members. Although more people of Jewish descent live in the city, many do not openly identify with the faith. The synagogue serves not only as a place of regular worship, held at least once a week, but also as a centre for Jewish holidays and community life. It remains a place for worship, community life and support, especially for the oldest members of the community, who survived the war.
