Approx. 95 postcards depicting dozens of synagogues in Europe and several synagogues elsewhere. Hungary, Romania, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and elsewhere, [late 19th century to the second half of the 20th century].
The postcards, most of which were printed during the late 19th century until mid-20th century, show photographs and drawings of Reform, Neolog and Orthodox synagogues in dozens of cities and towns throughout Europe, most of them in Hungary, some in Romania and Germany and a few in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France and Italy. Several postcards depict synagogues in the USA and Curaçao.
The postcards can be divided into two major types: postcards whose main subject is the synagogue and postcards depicting a general view of the town or some of its remarkable buildings, which include the synagogue. The collection represents a wide spectrum of communities and architectural styles, from modest structures in small towns to impressive eclectic buildings that rise above their surroundings in the central cities of Germany and Hungary. Most of the postcards depict the exterior of the synagogues; yet some depict the interior.
Practically all the synagogues of the German communities depicted in this collection were destroyed during Kristallnacht. After the war, several of them were rebuilt. The synagogues of the Hungarian and Romanian communities were abandoned or destroyed during the years of the Communist regime after World War II and some of them were restored during the late 20th century and early 21st century.
The collection contains 32 undivided postcards.
Enclosed: A printed card which is not a postcard.
14X9 cm on average. Condition varies. Most of the postcards were sent by mail.