The Koprivnica Synagogue () is a former

Reform Reform refers to the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The modern usage of the word emerged in the late 18th century and is believed to have originated from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement, which ...

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

, located in

Koprivnica Koprivnica () is a city in Northern Croatia, located 70 kilometers northeast of Zagreb. It is the capital and the largest city of Koprivnica-Križevci County. In 2011, the city's administrative area of 90.94 km2 had a total populati ...

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

. The congregation worshiped in the

Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that Ethnogenesis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium Common era, CE. They traditionally spe ...

rite Rite may refer to: Religion * Ritual, an established ceremonious act * Rite (Christianity), sacred rituals in the Christian religion * Ritual family, Christian liturgical traditions; often also called ''liturgical rites'' * Catholic particular ch ...

. Completed in 1875 and used as a synagogue until

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the building has been used as the Krešimir Švarc Cultural Center, a

cultural center A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run. Africa * ...

, since 2013.

History

In 1869, around a hundred

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

lived in Koprivnica. Although relatively small, the Jewish community of Koprivnica funded the construction of the Koprivnica Synagogue. The synagogue was designed by the architectural firm

Hönigsberg & Deutsch Hönigsberg & Deutsch was an architecture studio and construction company formed in Zagreb by architects Leo Hönigsberg and Julio Deutsch, active between 1889 and 1911. They produced over 90 known works in the Donji grad (Zagreb), Lower Town area ...

and built in 1875, along with a Jewish school. The location of the synagogue, in the heart of Koprivnica, was a prestigious choice at the time. In 1937, the synagogue was thoroughly remodeled by architect

Slavko Löwy Slavko Löwy (August 7, 1904 – April 1, 1996) was a Croatian architect. Background, family and education Löwy was born in Koprivnica to a respectable and wealthy Croatian Jewish family, who were engaged in trade. In Koprivnica he attended the ...

. During World War II, the synagogue was destroyed and used as a prison. The

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

and some other items from the synagogue were saved and are now preserved at the Koprivnica Museum. The Jewish community of Koprivnica was devastated during the war, with most of its members perishing in the Holocaust. The last rabbi of Koprivnica's Jewish community was Izrael Kohn who was taken to the

Gospić Gospić () is a town in Lika, Croatia. It is the seat of the Lika-Senj County. Geography Gospić is located in the mountainous and sparsely populated region of Lika. It is the administrative center of Lika-Senj County. Gospić is located n ...

concentration camp A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploitati ...

in the night between July 23 and July 24, 1941 and eventually died in Jasenovac. The Koprivnica Synagogue is one of the few synagogues in Croatia to survive the war. After the war, under the communist regime of

SFR Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...

, the synagogue was used as a tailoring factory and warehouse. Presently, a small Jewish community exists in Koprivnica. In 2011, restoration of the Koprivnica Synagogue began and it was listed as a cultural monument. Further restoration of the building was announced in late 2023.

References

External links

* {{Synagogues in Croatia 1860s establishments in Croatia 19th-century synagogues in Europe Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Croatia Ashkenazi synagogues Buildings and structures in Koprivnica-Križevci County Former synagogues in Croatia Jewish organizations established in the 1860s Koprivnica Moorish Revival architecture in Croatia Moorish Revival synagogues Register of Cultural Goods of the Republic of Croatia Synagogues completed in 1875

History

See also

References

External links