Jewish cultural center opens in Bayreuth's historic Alte Münze

A ceremonial inauguration of a new Jewish cultural center took place in Bavarian Bayreuth, located in the historic Alte Münze building. The event was attended by State Premier Markus Söder of the Christian Social Union (CSU), who in his speech unequivocally condemned antisemitism and declared his commitment to protecting Jewish life in Bavaria. "We do not tolerate antisemitism in Bavaria," stated the politician, as quoted by all German media covering the event. The Premier indicated that manifestations of hostility towards Jews in contemporary Germany stem from three main sources: the far-right, Islamist circles, and "partially from the leftist-intellectual sphere." Söder emphasized the strategic importance of the physical visibility and presence of Jewish life in public space as a tool to combat prejudice. The new cultural center, an initiative of the Israelite Religious Community (Israelitische Kultusgemeinde), is intended to fulfill precisely this role, serving as a place for meetings, dialogue, and cultural activities. Jews settled in Bayreuth as early as the Middle Ages, although the community was expelled from the city multiple times. In 1760, the Jewish community took over a building on today's Opernstraße, adapting it into a synagogue. Its proximity to the magnificent Opernhaus, built by Margrave Wilhelm von Brandenburg-Bayreuth, determined its fate in the 20th century. The institution was established directly adjacent to the synagogue in Bayreuth, which – as reminded by the community chairman Felix Gothart – is the oldest still-active synagogue in Germany. This building, occupied by the Jewish community in 1760, is located right next to the Margravial Opera House (Markgräfliches Opernhaus), a UNESCO World Heritage site. Historians point out that it was likely this proximity to the valuable monument that saved the synagogue from being set on fire by the National Socialists during the Third Reich era. In recent years, the religious building has undergone a thorough renovation. The opening of the center in Alte Münze fits into the broader context of memory politics and combating antisemitism pursued by the Bavarian government. The event was widely covered by leading German press titles, which uniformly reported on Premier Söder's speech and highlighted the historical significance of the location. Although a local event, the ceremony carried a message directed at all of German society, drawing attention to the ongoing challenges related to antisemitism.