As far back as 1756 there has been a Synagogue for the Jewish population
in the centre of Groningen, on the corner of the Gedempte Zuiderdiep and the
modern day Folkingestraat. The street was, however, then known as the
Volteringstraat, and shortly afterwards the Kleine Folkingestraat.
With the nineteenth century the Jewish population grew and became a more
influential force in the economic life of Groningen. This led to the
construction of the larger and more prominent present day Synagogue in 1906,
designed by architect Tjeerd Kuipers. The Synagogue is of
neo-Byzantine style with neo-Moorish elements. The interior windowsills and
tiled walls show Art Nouveau influences, and the only Jewish influence in the
building can be seen in the colonnades, which may well have been inspired by
the Synagogue of Toledo.
After the Second World War in 1952, although unscathed by it, the
Synagogue was sold and housed a laundry, which later became a dry cleaning
plant, before finally becoming a church and assembly hall for the Apostolic
Fellowship. It wasn’t until 1973 that the ‘Stichting Folkingestraat Synagogue’, was
set up with the aim of restoring it to its former glory, which lasted from
1981-2. After this it was once again used as a synagogue, part-time.
Today the Synagogue is not only a place of Jewish worship but is
also used for concerts and exhibitions. It includes a permanent exhibition on
the history of the Jewish people, particularly those who were resident in
Groningen, and uses the history of five prominent Jewish families in Groningen
at the time.
© Alison Day
First published in
the Connections magazine #13 Autumn 2006
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