Synagoge Oberwart

The former synagogue in Oberwart stands in the town centre, close to the Evangelical church. Built in 1904, it replaced an earlier prayer room and served a growing Jewish community. The building is one of only three visible remains of the once thriving congregation, alongside the cemetery and the former rabbi’s house. The synagogue’s history reflects the community’s rise and fall. After the Anschluss it was cleared, its Torah scrolls removed, and later used as a fire brigade store. In 1940 the city took ownership, and in 1946 the mayor confirmed its expropriation. A memorial plaque added in 1989 records these events. Inside, the music school occupies the former prayer hall. The building was enlarged and adapted while preserving its character. A hundred pupils and eighteen teachers now rehearse where worship once took place. The main room still shows the simple interior and the canopy donated by Josef Weigl.