Tourist routes in Warsaw: Second World War monuments
Nozyk Synagogue / Bartosz Bobkowski / Agencja Gazeta
Nożyk Synagogue
This is the only Warsaw synagogue which is still used as a house of prayer. It is also an important Jewish cultural centre in Poland. Concerts, exhibitions and meetings are held here, with the participation of representatives of the Polish and foreign governments.
Construction started in 1893 and was initiated by Zalman Nożyk, a wealthy haberdashery trader. The design was said to be by Leandro Marconi although this is not confirmed. It cost 250 000 roubles to build and was financed in its entirety by Rywka and Zalman Nożyk. It was completed at the end of February 1902. The ceremonial opening of the temple which could host 600 guests - 300 women and 300 men - was on the 12th May 1902. The prewar synagogues were not normally very ornate buildings and were built at low cost in less popular areas. However, the opening of this beautiful, modern synagogue n the very centre o Grzybowa Steet, the prewar Jewish district, met with an enthusiastic response from the Jewish community. Not only were its size, acoustics and beautiful interior design praised, but also its excellent ventilation, which "served to keep in good health those in attendance for long hours". It was mostly rich Warsaw Jews who attended the synagogue, who had reserved seats they had paid for. The poor could use special free places, which were made available at certain times.
When the 2nd World War broke out the synagogue was totally demolished by the Nazis who turned it into a stable. In the middle of 1941, the Warsaw occupational authorities allowed the reopening of the synagogue which was on the boundaries of the Warsaw ghetto. After the liquidation of the ghetto, the synagogue was closed again. It is one of few buildings, which, despite heavy damage, was not wiped off the map during the Warsaw uprising. Its solid construction held up well during bombardments and was provisionally renovated soon after the war thanks to money raised by Jews which had survived the war. The first service after the war took place on 19th April 1945 on the anniversary of the ghetto uprising and was the first Jewish-Christian meeting for prayer, with the Warsaw Rabbi Michael Schudrich and Catholic bishop Henryk Muszyński in attendance. At the beginning of the 1990s several serious antisemitic incidents took place. The synagogue was subject to an arson attack at the end of 1997, but thanks to the speedy reaction of a passer-by and a successful intervention by the fire brigade, only the porch was burnt down.