Back in those days, the synagogue towered above the irregularly arranged, clustered houses that were once the hallmark of this part of town. Today, the building serves as testimony to the multicultural history of the town. Following its restoration, the synagogue became a branch of the District Museum, housing a gallery of art as well as a section dedicated various artifacts liked with Jewish culture. The synagogue in Leszno is one of the largest and oldest surviving Jewish houses of prayer in Greater Poland, serving as testimony to the thriving religious life of one of the largest Jewish communities in the region in both the 18th century and the early 19th century.

History

Leszno was a private town which remained in the hands of the Leszczyński noble family (of the Wieniawa coat of arms) between 1394 and 1738; later on, in years 1738-1833, the town passed on to the Sułkowski family, who also owned the nearby town of Rydzyna. In 1516, a group of refugees from Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia have settled near the village of Leszczynko, fleeing religious persecution. In 1547, the town was granted Magdeburg rights. Jews first appeared in town in 1604, most likely following the expulsion thereof from Głogów and Wschowa in the 1590s. The positive attitude expressed towards them by the local Protestants allowed Jews in Leszno to form one of the greatest communities anywhere in Greater Poland. In 1656, the town was set on fire by the Polish forces - an act of revenge brought about by the decision of the local authorities to open the town’s gates to the invading Swedish forces one year earlier. As the fire raged across the town, all non-Catholic places of worship - including the synagogue - were lost to the blaze. Initially, Jews were only allowed to take up residence within the confines of their own ghetto; it was only the Prussian authorities who also allowed them to settle in other parts of the town. According to a 18th-century census, the Jewish district was located between Kościańska street (known today as Narutowicza street), Wałowa street, Grodzka street and Łaziebna street.

The town’s first, wooden synagogue was erected in 1626.

The synagogue underwent a series of alteration works following the devastating fires that raged across the town in years 1656, 1707 and 1790.

It is known that a brick and stone synagogue with a hip roof existed in town as early as 1740.

In 1775, the synagogue featured oval windows and a basilica layout.

The main, Baroque section of the current building was erected in the 18th century.

In 1905, the synagogue underwent a series of comprehensive alteration works, with a tower crowned with a bulbous cupola and two low, symmetrical annexes being added on the axis of the eastern façade; the entire façade received a uniform design created by the Wrocław architects Richard and Paweł Ehrlich, who imbued the synagogue with an art nouveau flair in the vein of the Vienna Secession, while the synagogue’s interior now followed a Tempel-style layout. According to J. Kohte, a historical monument preservation officer, the walls of the existing building were used in the course of the extension and alteration works.

Until 1939, the synagogue served as the house of prayer for the local Jewish community.

After 1945, the eastern facade which faced Narutowicza street was lowered, with the original domes being dismantled.

In the 1950s, the building served as a public bath house; later on, it was converted into a storage facility.

In 2006, the restoration of the building was complete, with the former synagogue now serving as a branch of the District Museum in Leszno. The entire Jewish district also underwent renovation works, with a number of new buildings being erected and the square around the synagogue being cleaned up and rearranged.

Description

Leszno is a town with district rights, situated at the northern edge of the Leszczyńskia Upland. A number of roads and railways from Poznań to Wrocław and from Kalisz to Zielona Góra lead through the town.

The synagogue is situated on Narutowicza street (formerly known as Kościańska street), in the centre of the former Jewish district located in the northern part of town. The building is a brick structure with a basement; its walls are covered with plaster. The synagogue was designed on a rectangular floor plan, with additional vestibules and a tower added to its western façade. The body of the building - a single-storey structure with a tall ground basement section - is compact in shape. The entire corps de logis of the synagogue is covered with a hip roof. The extended prayer hall in the east is a two-storey structure with a triangular pediment, covered with a gable roof. This section of the synagogue is flanked by two symmetrical, low annexes. Two vestibules covered with tented roofs adjoin the western façade of the building, rising up to a half of the height of the structure.

The eastern façade features a two-storey avant-corps which follows a three-axis design and is separated from the rest of the structure by a cornice. The arched windows on the first-floor level feature broad window reveals. The second floor features a tall arcade topped with a large, elliptical window. The avant-corps is crowned with a triangular pediment. The symmetrical annexes with oval windows are adorned by pilasters on the corners, with a crowning cornice being positioned above the pilaster capitals, running directly beneath the eaves. Fragments of the original, pre-1905 eastern façade can still be seen above the annexes. The remaining façades feature architectural detailing in the form of pilasters topped with capitals as well as decorative panels. The windows are either oval or rectangular in shape, the latter being topped with segmental arches.

Despite its orthodox nature, the Jewish community in Leszno opted for a thoroughly modern interior decor. The interior incorporated a single, spacious prayer hall with a bema positioned near the Torah ark (the Aron Kodesh), with women’s galleries running around the entire hall, with the exception of the eastern wall thereof, which was occupied by a large arcade that served as the connection between the building’s corps de logis and the tower. The synagogue came equipped with a state-of-the-art pipe organ, ventilation and central heating system. The tower - a subsequent addition to the synagogue, originally topped with an impressive, bulbous dome - housed the pipe organ and the rabbi’s quarters. The interior decor of the synagogue remains substantially intact, featuring impressive painted wall decorations and a radiant aureole which adorns the central vent in the tall, false ceiling rising above the hall. An interesting fact is that sermons at the Leszno synagogue were read out in German, much like in other progressive synagogues. This allowed the Leszno synagogue to attain the highest status in the orthodox Jewish community.

Following the completion of restoration works, the former synagogue was adapted to the needs of modern users. Its original form was preserved, while the scope of its functions has been greatly extended. The technical facilities were adapted to the needs of disabled persons. The concert hall and the smaller chambers inside the building can easily serve as venues for various types of events. The location of the building in the old town of Leszno gives it another advantage over other cultural facilities in town. Once the restoration works were complete, the façade of the former synagogue became the most impressive of all buildings in the old town. Apart from the art gallery of the District Museum, the building also houses a permanent exhibition entitled “Jews in Leszno”, which was arranged in one of the rooms.

The site is accessible to visitors. Opening hours: Tuesdays - 9 AM - 4:30 PM; Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays: 9 AM - 2:30 PM; Saturdays and Sundays: 10 AM - 2 PM; closed on Mondays.

compiled by Teresa Palacz, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Poznan, 28-10-2014.

Bibliography

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