Synagogue Square                                   (Mühlsteige)

In 1795 the synagogue, a house of assembly and prayer for the Jewish community, was built in the Jewish section of the town above the area that was inhabited at the time. In the ”Judenschutzbrief” (letter guaranteeing protection of Jews) of 1787, families were expressly assured a synagogue would be built; the rulers of the town made the square available. In the years 1871-1872 the synagogue underwent basic renovations and extensions under Rabbi Michael Silberstein. This place of worship was destroyed by SA-members during the ”Reichskristallnacht” (”Crystal night”) on 10 November 1938. This did, however, require two attempts, as the fire brigade and the mayor of Buttenhausen managed to extinguish an initial blaze. 

A memorial stone was inaugurated by Boris Grünwald at this location in 1966. Today these symbols – biblical tablets, the star of David and a seven-piece candelabra (Menora) – remind us of this place of Jewish faith which was destroyed.