Memorial walks, guided tours and events commemorate Jewish life
With several commemorative events, historical tours, and a special memorial ceremony, Darmstadt will remember the Nazi pogroms of November 1938 in November. The occasion is the 88th anniversary of the destruction of Darmstadt's synagogues. At the same time, another historical date will be highlighted: 150 years ago, the Liberal Synagogue was built at Friedrichstrasse 2. It was destroyed by the Nazis in 1938, and its remains were rediscovered in 2003.
The Liberal Synagogue Memorial and the Friends of the Liberal Synagogue Darmstadt are offering a comprehensive program of events to mark this occasion. In addition to guided tours tracing the footsteps of Jewish figures and the city's history, a memorial ceremony with Mayor Hanno Benz and a joint commemorative walk to the sites of the destroyed synagogues are planned.
150 Years of the Liberal Synagogue in Darmstadt
The former Liberal Synagogue at Friedrichstrasse 2 is an important memorial site in Darmstadt's Jewish history. Its destruction during the November Pogroms of 1938 exemplifies the Nazi persecution and annihilation of Jewish life.
The rediscovery of their remains in 2003 brought an important part of the city's history back into focus.
This year's commemorative program combines the remembrance of the crimes of National Socialism with the history of Jewish personalities who shaped the social, cultural and scientific life of Darmstadt.
Memorial ceremony and new plaque for Julius Goldstein
A central part of the program is the memorial ceremony on Monday, November 9th, at 11 a.m. entitled “The future needs remembrance: 150 years of the Liberal Synagogue, November Pogrom 1938 and commemoration of Julius Goldstein”.
As part of the event, Mayor Hanno Benz will unveil a new memorial plaque for the Darmstadt philosopher Julius Goldstein. The plaque was initiated by the Friends of the Liberal Synagogue Darmstadt.
In addition to Mayor Benz, speakers will include Daniel Neumann, Chairman of the Jewish Community of Darmstadt and member of the board of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Sven Axt, Commercial Director and Spokesman of the Darmstadt Clinic, and Martin Frenzel, Chairman and Founder of the Friends of the Liberal Synagogue Darmstadt.
Joint memorial walk to the destroyed synagogues
On the evening of November 9th, a joint memorial walk will take place through Darmstadt.
It begins at 6:30 p.m. following the memorial service in the New Synagogue at Wilhelm-Glässing-Straße 26.
From there, the route leads via Luisenplatz to the memorial sites of the Orthodox and Liberal Synagogues, which were destroyed in 1938.
The memorial walk is organized by the Society for Christian-Jewish Cooperation together with the Stolpersteine Working Group, the German-Israeli Society AG Darmstadt, the Protestant Deanery, the Friends of the Liberal Synagogue, the Catholic Pastoral Area Darmstadt-Mitte and the City of Darmstadt.
Historical tours commemorate Jewish personalities
Other events are dedicated to the history of Darmstadt's Jewish citizens.
Several themed tours present, among other things, the life stories of rabbis, lawyers, philosophers and other personalities connected with the Jewish history of the city.
These include, for example, former Lilien chairman Karl Heß, philosopher Julius Goldstein and Rabbi Julius Landsberger.
The guided tours connect historical sites with the biographies of the people who lived and worked there.
All events at a glance
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 2:30 p.m
Guided tour “Jewish Darmstadt” – Special tour I
Following the traces of the Liberal Synagogue, Jewish lawyers and jurists such as Benno Joseph, Hugo Bender, Fritz Freund and Karl Hess, as well as the Darmstadt November pogrom of 1938.
Meeting point: Lortz Menorah in front of the stairs to the gallery of the Liberal Synagogue Memorial on the hospital grounds. Access via Bleichstraße at the level of Gagernstraße or via Julius-Landsberger-Platz.
Participation: Free, donations appreciated.
Registration: Required via email to martin.frenzel@liberale-synagoge-darmstadt.de.
Sunday, November 8, 2026, 2:30 p.m
Guided tour “Jewish Darmstadt” – Special tour II
The focus is on the Liberal Synagogue and the life stories of Rabbi Julius Landsberger, Aron Reinhard and his daughter Johanna, Heinrich Wechsler, Ferdinand Reinheimer, Moses Heyum, Alfred Bodenheimer, and Alexander Haas. The November Pogrom of 1938 is also addressed.
Meeting point: Lortz Menorah at the Liberal Synagogue Memorial on the hospital grounds. Access via Bleichstraße at the intersection with Gagernstraße or via Julius-Landsberger-Platz.
Participation: Free, donations appreciated.
Registration: Required via email to martin.frenzel@liberale-synagoge-darmstadt.de.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 11 a.m
Commemorative ceremony “The future needs remembrance”
To mark the 150th anniversary of the former Liberal Synagogue and the 88th anniversary of the November pogroms, the Jewish history of Darmstadt is being commemorated.
As part of the event, Mayor Hanno Benz will inaugurate the new Julius Goldstein memorial plaque of the Friends of the Liberal Synagogue Darmstadt.
Contributors: Mayor Hanno Benz, Daniel Neumann, Sven Axt and Martin Frenzel.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 6:30 p.m
Memorial walk to the destroyed Darmstadt synagogues
Following the memorial service in the New Synagogue, a joint memorial walk will lead across Luisenplatz to the memorial sites of the Orthodox and Liberal Synagogues destroyed in 1938.
Start: New Synagogue, Wilhelm-Glässing-Straße 26, Darmstadt.
Organizers: Society for Christian-Jewish Cooperation and other Darmstadt organizations.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m
Special opening of the Liberal Synagogue Memorial
The memorial will also be open to visitors on this day.
Note: There will be no guided tour.
Sunday, November 15, 2026, 2:30 p.m
Guided tour “Jewish Darmstadt”
The Friends of the Liberal Synagogue commemorate the history of the Liberal Synagogue and Jewish personalities such as the former chairman of SV Darmstadt 98, Karl Hess, Howard (Hans Siegfried) Adler, Hans Juda and the cultural and technological philosopher Julius Goldstein.
Meeting point: Dr.-Karl-Heß-Platz in front of the entrance to the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. From there, the route leads by tram line 9 to Luisenplatz and then to the Liberal Synagogue Memorial.
Participation: Free, donations appreciated.
Registration: Required via email to martin.frenzel@liberale-synagoge-darmstadt.de.
Sunday, November 22, 2026, 2:30 p.m
Guided tour “Jewish Darmstadt”
The focus is on the Liberal Synagogue as well as Heinrich Blumenthal, Rabbi Bruno Italiener and the philosopher Julius Goldstein.
The guided tour leads from St. John's Church via the Justus Liebig School deportation site to the Liberal Synagogue memorial and Julius Landsberger Square.
Meeting point: Heinrich Blumenthal memorial plaque on the northwest side of the Evangelical St. John's Church, Johannesplatz, corner of Wilhelm-Leuschner-Straße.
Duration: Approximately two hours.
Participation is free.
Registration: Required via email to martin.frenzel@liberale-synagoge-darmstadt.de.
Sunday, November 29, 2026, 2:30 p.m
Guided tour “Jewish Darmstadt”
The guided tour focuses on the history of the Liberal Synagogue and its five rabbis: Julius Landsberger, Abraham Wolff, David Selver, Bruno Italiener, and Erich Bienheim. It also commemorates a Nazi crime.
Meeting point: Lortz Menorah in front of the stairs to the gallery of the Liberal Synagogue Memorial on the hospital grounds. Access via Bleichstraße at the level of Gagernstraße or via Julius-Landsberger-Platz.
Participation: Free, donations appreciated.
Registration: Required via email to martin.frenzel@liberale-synagoge-darmstadt.de.
Visits for school classes and groups are possible
The Liberal Synagogue Memorial Site can also be visited by school classes and groups.
In addition to the regular opening hours on Wednesdays and Sundays from 11:30 am to 4 pm, additional appointments are possible by prior arrangement.
Registration for groups: Telephone 06151 13-3341 or by email to kulturamt@darmstadt.de.
Further information about the Darmstadt memorial sites is available from the City of Darmstadt at:
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/stip)
