Posted In memory of the 71st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, 27 January 1945. Many of the locations I explore are special, but this synagogue hidden away in the outskirts of the city was truly special in a way that was entirely unique unto itself. It is unlikely that I will ever forget standing inside the empty and abandoned main sanctuary hall for the first time; knowing I was inside the most important 20th-century synagogue in England and without doubt the finest surviving in Europe dating from the inter-war period. In what was undoubtedly one of the darkest decades for modern Judaism, "the ark" was constructed in 1936 and used by an active congregation until 2007. It gained its listed status in 1983 however this was upgraded to Grade II status shortly after its closure in 2008 and has been on the ‘at risk’ register since 2010. It is hoped the repairs will secure its long-term future and help find a new use for it however until then the building sits empty in a derelict state. The art deco design directly reflects Swedish architectural influences, both in the exterior of the building, which is clearly inspired by the late fruition of the Swedish national romantic style, and in its interior, which draws on contemporary Swedish functionalism. In consequence, it stands alone as a synagogue which is truly significant in terms of the progressive architecture of its time. Although clearly not ‘internationally modern’, it was a genuine attempt at a new architecture appropriate for a modern synagogue. Given its hugely significant representation as a last great cultural expression of European Jewish culture before the holocaust, this is one of the most important cultural grounds I've ever explored and yet it felt almost entirely forgotten among it's surrounding urban landscape. Merseyside was once a more affluent place, but with the demise of the docking industry the economy shifted out of the region, and more and more jewish family's consequently relocated to cities like Manchester and Birmingham after decades of attending the synagogue, leaving what community they left behind with no choice but to hold a public sale in 2008 in an attempt to raise money to keep the Ark open. Items left behind are littered across the halls, and serve as a reminder of their last ditch effort to keep their proud building alive.
