An Architectural Approach to 19th-Century Torah Ark Design in Germany

Whereas research on synagogue architecture, especially on destroyed synagogues, has been emphasized during the last decades, little focus has been given on their furnishings. Only few Torah arks are extant or reconstructed in German synagogues and museums today. Amongst these are the arks of Unterlimburg (? 1738/39), Ansbach (1744–46), Hornburg (1766), Augsburg (1914–17) und Essen (1911–13).

Starting from the preserved baroque Torah ark in Hornburg (1766), the paper will point out its architectural features and will give an approach to a typology of the German Torah ark design between the early modern period up to the early twentieth century. Focus will be given to architectural elements and their combination as well as on the placement of the Torah ark within the synagogues’ layout. Most important are the architectural changes that were introduced to in synagogue design in the course of the Jewish Reform movement; f.i. the canopy in front of the Seesen torah ark (ca. 1810) or the integration of the Torah ark in the wall of the Reformgemeinde in Berlin Johannisstrasse synagogue. The paper is based on site work as well on archival research and will include a comparison to the design of Christian altars.

The paper will discuss first findings of the research project „The Torah Ark in German Lands“, that is generously supported by the German Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development.