Hamburg - 11a Rutschbahn, Alte und Neue Klaus Synagogue

Summary: In September 1905, Hamburg’s Orthodox Jewish community built a synagogue in the back of the property at 11a Rutschbahn. Known as the Alte und Neue Klaus synagogue, the building had a seating capacity of 160 (120 men and 40 women). The synagogue also served as a Beit Midrash (study hall) in which the study of the Talmud and its commentaries went on at all hours of the day. Rabbi Selig Pinchas Bamberger, a renowned scholar, presided over this congregation. In order to accommodate the large number of young men who moved to Hamburg to study with Rabbi Bamberger, the house of worship was expanded in 1910, allowing for additional lecture halls and prayer rooms. Although the interior of the synagogue was ransacked on Pogrom Night (November 1938), the exterior of the building was spared. During the early 1980s, plans were made to convert the building into a museum, but these plans never materialized. The building is now used for commercial purposes. As of this writing it does not bear a memorial plaque.

Author / Sources: Moshe Finkel
Sources: JLH, SIA
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