I had some free time while in Vienna and I knew that I wanted to visit the Main Synagogue, Stadttempel. Since 1811, Stadttempel has been the spiritual center of Vienna’s Jewish community. The former Dempfingerhof, originally located in Seitenstettengasse 4, functioned as a place for Jewish religious life. Although Emperor Joseph II issued the Tolerance Patent in 1782, offering more liberties to the Jewish population, the public practice of Judaism was not included. In addition I learn that Tolerancebethauser, or non-Catholic places of worship were required to hidden from public view and not recognizable from the outside. As a result the synagogue was built into a larger building complex. This synagogue was the only synagogue that was not destroyed during the Kristallnacht. Tourists can book a book but unfortunately I didn’t have time to do that.

Most importantly, Stadttempel also pays deep honor to Austrian Jewish Shoah victims. Before, World War II, Vienna housed nearly 200,000 Jews, accounting for 90% of Austria’s Jewish population. As a result of Hitler’s rise to power and the Nazi regime’s takeover of Austria there were over 100,000 Jews that were forced to escape, and 62,400 who were murdered both in extermination camps and concentration camps.

This visit to this Stadttempel was very personal for me since I’m named after my grandfather’s brother’s son’s wife whose name was Sora Vernikoff. They lived in Germany but didn’t want to leave and I have all their death certificates from Auschwitz.

I felt that I was there for her and her family to let her know that she is not forgotten.

Having said that here are some photos of the synagogue.

Luckily, the first photo shows the front of the synagogue with a tour group in front of it. I got lucky and got to listen to the guide and was able to learn more about this synagogue in real tourist time.

The complex even had a kosher restaurant.

This is a visit that I will never forget.

Never Again.