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The old synagogue in Kippenheim
A very special monument
This synagogue, constructed in 1850-52, demonstrates the self-confidence of the Kippenheim Jews who had moved out of "Jews' Alley" located in the village back streets. To document their newly acquired status as German citizens they gave their house of God a prestigious appearance, choosing the Neo-Romanesque style that is generally regarded as the synagogue style of 19th century Germany.
The synagogue was desecrated in November of 1938, during the so-called kristallnacht. The Nazis burned ritual objects and demolished the furnishings. Traces of this destruction are still visible today. After the war an agricultural cooperative purchased the building and undertook radical changes so that it would meet their needs.
The removal of both turrets, the gable and rose window as well as the front window arches can only be interpreted as an expression of the repression of the persecution of Kippenheim Jews that was associated with the synagogue.
In 1987 the building was renovated externally, restoring the facade to its original state.
 The interior was merely secured. Its fully renovated exterior and the interior with its traces of desecration and profanation make the Kippenheim synagogue a unique monument in the Upper Rhine region. Historically it documents Jewish religious life within a Christian environment. In modern history it is a testimony of Nazi terror through its desecration. Finally, in its present condition it documents the manner in which Nazi history and Jewish heritage have been dealt with. Based on its historical and art historical status the state of Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Interior classified the synagogue as "a cultural monument of significance."
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Kippenheim Synagogue Patrons Society,