Historical
and Commemorative Medals
Collection of Benjamin Weiss
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SYNAGOGUE AT COLOGNE
WIENER, Jacques: Germany, 1861, Bronze, 59 mm This medal commemorates the building of the conservative
synagogue in der Glockengasse (the Bell Lane) in Cologne. Funding for the
new synagogue was provided by Abraham Oppenheim (whose name is mentioned in
the Hebrew inscription), a son of the banker Salomon Oppenheim. The
inauguration of this magnificent, neoislamic synagogue took place in 1861.
It had seats for 226 men and 140 women. The Synagogue in Cologne, along with many other Jewish
institutions, was sacked and burned by the Nazis in 1938, during what is
commonly known as "Kristallnacht" (Night of the Broken Glass). Cologne's
Modern Opera now sits on the site of the 19th century Glockengasse
Synagogue. The synagogue was never rebuilt. As the last month of the Jewish year, Elul, mentioned in
the Hebrew inscription, is traditionally a time of introspection and
stocktaking -- a time to review one's deeds and spiritual progress over the
past year and to prepare for the upcoming Jewish High Holy Days of Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur. E. F. ZWIRNER, whose name is inscribed in the
exergue of the obverse of the medal, is Ernst Friedrich Zwirner (1802-1861).
He was the architect responsible for the construction of the synagogue.
Zwirner, a master builder of cathedrals, also built the
Cathedral at Cologne
and the Apollinariskirche at
Remagen. His works won him great honor and distinction. It is said that
his devotion to the work of restoring the Cologne Cathedral was so great
that many of his contemporaries felt his zeal had hastened his death (Eidlitz). LINK to History of
Jews in Cologne (from
Wikipedia). LINK to
Virtual Reconstruction of Synagogues
(you tube) LINK to article:
Anti-Semitic Bigotry: A Retrospective As Chronicled by Commemorative Medals
by Benjamin Weiss
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