Sinagoga u Zrenjaninu

Abstract

Među trinaest sinagoga koje su nemački fašisti srušili tokom Drugog svetskog rata u raznim gradovima i varošima u Banatu, ona koja je stajala u Velikom Bečkereku, ili u gradu Zrenjaninu kako se danas naziva, bila je posebno izvanredno i uspešno arhitektonsko dostignuće Leopolda Baumhorna. Zrenjaninska sinagoga bila je jedna od dvadeset dve koje je projektovao ovaj talentovani stvaralac i zaista je bila arhitektonski biser grada na reci Begej. Prva sinagoga u ovom gradu sagrađena je još 1847. godine, a koristila se sve do početka 1894. godine, kada je rušenje bilo neizbežno. Ta zgrada je bila dvospratna kuća u kojoj se velika sala na gornjem spratu koristila za verske usluge. Na mestu porušene stare sinagoge izgradnja nove, koju je projektovao L. Baumhorn, počela je aprila 1889. godine, a završena je 17. avgusta 1896. godine, kada je posle svečane ceremonije otvorena za vernike. Ova veličanstvena građevina srušena je početkom drugog dela 1941. Fašističke vlasti nisu propustile da u svoj nalog dodaju posebno uputstvo da se materijal dobijen rušenjem koristi za izgradnju određenih zgrada koje će biti u vlasništvu Nemaca. Nemci su pri rušenju izbaclli skupocene orgulje na ulični kolovoz, pa su rukovodioci reformatske crkve zamolili nemačke vlasti da im te orgulje prodaju. Pošto su im vlasti prodale orgulje uz propisan račun one su instalirane u reformatorskoj crkvi u kojoj se nalaze i danas.

Among the thirteen synagogues which the German fascists have demolished during WWII in various cities and townships of the Banat area the one which stood in Veliki Beckerek, or in the city of Zrenjanin as it is called today, was a particularly outstanding and successful architectural achievement of Leopold Baumhorn. The Zrenjanin synagogue was one of the twenty-twos this talented creator designed and was indeed an architectural pearl of the city on the River Begej. The first synagogue in this city was built as back as 1847 to be in use until the beginning of 1894 when it was found so dilapidated that its demolition became unavoidable. Actually, that building was a normal two-story house in which a great hall on the upper floor was used for religious services. On the site of the demolished old synagogue the construction of a new one, designed by L. Baumhorn, started on April 1, 1894, to be completed on August 17, 1896, when a ceremonial dedication opened its doors to the believers. This magnificent edifice was demolished at the beginning of the second part of 1941. The fascist authorities did not miss to include in their order a special instruction that the material gained by demolition should be used for the construction of certain buildings to be owned by Germans. The synagogue's organ, which was thrown out and left on the street during the demolition works, was purchased from the Germans by the functionaries of the Reformed Church. They installed it in their own Church where it still can be seen.