Building plans of the synagogue: Richard Freygang Erbe returns to Wilhelmshaven!

Building plans of the synagogue: Richard Freygang Erbe returns to Wilhelmshaven!

Wilhelmshaven, Deutschland - An emotional moment for the city of Wilhelmshaven: On July 19, 2025, Manfred Freygang and Petra Ketscher handed over the blueprose plans of her grandfather Richard Freygang to the city archive. These historically valuable documents return to their place of origin, where the synagogue once stood, which was set on fire during the Reichspogromnacht in 1938. Richard Freygang, the architect of the synagogue, experienced the horrific event from his home at Parkstrasse 14.

The synagogue was inaugurated on September 22, 1915 and offered space for 400 people. It was a central place for the Jewish community in Wilhelmshaven, which existed until 1940 and originally formed a double community with the Jews of the surrounding villages. Construction began as early as 1913, and the synagogue was the result of the wish of the Jewish population to create its own service.

The eventful story of Richard Freygang

Richard Freygang, born in Halle an der Saale in 1882, came to Wilhelmshaven in 1912, where he opened an architecture office. After the First World War, he had to struggle with economic difficulties, but worked as an architect and building expert up to the age of 85. His plans, which his grandchildren have now handed over to the city archive, come from a time when the Jewish community flourished.

Petra Ketscher, the daughter of Richard Freygang daughter, explained that her mother had kept the blueprints for decades. She wants to ensure that these valuable documents find their way back to Wilhelmshaven, since there were no other descendants that could take care of the materials. City archive director Dr. Wiebke Janssen will now check whether the documents are designed or the final blueprint.

The tragedy of the Reichspogromnacht

The dark turn in the history of the Jewish community came on November 9, 1938, when the synagogue was set on fire - part of the disgusting anti -Semitic mobilization that the National Socialists initiated. The reason for the pogrom night was the murder of the Nazi diplomat Ernst from the Rath by a Polish Jew, which Joseph Goebbels used for his anti-Semitic rush. This night marked the transition from discrimination against the systematic persecution of the Jews.

As in many other cities, Jewish shops and houses were also devastated in Wilhelmshaven, and numerous Jews were arrested or deported. 34 men were brought to the "Jahn-Halle" and transported from there to Sachsenhausen concentration camp. The symbols of this terrible time include the memorial on the former synagogue square, which was set up in the 1970s and is reminiscent of the persecution of the Jews.

The Jewish community in Wilhelmshaven had 239 members at its best time before about 100 members left the city due to the National Socialist disenfranchisement. In the end, only a few stayed until the community was finally dissolved in 1940. The November pogrom and the consequences are a central part of the city historical processing and a reminder that is reminiscent of the horrors of the past.

The commemorative celebrations, such as the annual event on the anniversary of the Pogrom Night, still attract many people today and promote reminders of those who were lost. With the return of Richard Freygang's construction plans, Wilhelmshaven not only receives a piece of his history, but also the opportunity to learn from this story and keep the memory alive.

For more information on the history of the Jewish community in Wilhelmshaven, look at Wikipedia or discover the background of the Reichspogromnacht at ndr