Located at the main square, in close proximity to the Friedensburg, is the former synagogue founded in the 18th century and the also monument-protected rabbi's house. The synagogue is today considered the best-preserved synagogue in Burgenland.
The Exhibition
How can Jewish life and Judaism be represented? What makes a person, their surroundings, and their life Jewish?
Through the exhibited objects and texts, Jewish life is to be presented and brought closer to the public. At the center of the exhibition, curated by Mag. Christof Cremer, are primarily the people. These include adopted narratives, objects, garments, traditions, families, and family stories that provide insight into life during that time. In addition to the exhibition, the former synagogue today also hosts a place of remembrance and memorial for the Jewish population of South Burgenland that was expelled and annihilated in 1938.
The History of the Jewish Community of Stadtschlaining
The synagogue was the cultic and cultural center of the once large Jewish community of Stadtschlaining. The synagogue is today considered the best-preserved synagogue in Burgenland. The Greek word synágein means “to come together” or “to gather.” The word “synagogue” initially refers to the gathering community. It corresponds with the Hebrew word Bet HaKnesset (House of Assembly). However, the synagogue has never been exclusively a liturgical place, but rather a religious, cultural, and sometimes also a social center of a Jewish community.