The Jewish residents of Birkenfeld attended the synagogue in Hoppstädten until they first established a prayer room and ultimately built their own synagogue on the “Schlossallee” in 1862/63.

By the end of the 19th Century, however, the number of Jewish residents in Birkenfeld began to steadily decline due to emigration and migration flows. Their number was so small by the end of the 1920s that they met only rarely for worship services. In May 1938, the synagogue was sold to the regional authorities at a price much lower than its actual value.

Nevertheless, a group of National Socialists forced their way into the building on the 10th of November 1938, devastated its interior furnishings and setting it on fire. Albeit the fire was quickly extinguished in order to prevent it from spreading to the neighbouring homes.

The former synagogue was then torn down in March 1939 and a forestry office was erected in its place.

Photo documentation: Photo taken between November 1938 and March 1939, “Landesamt für Denkmalpflege in Rheinland-Pfalz” (Rhineland-Palatinate state office for the preservation of historic landmarks), Synagogues of Rhineland-Palatinate - Saarland (Mainz 2005) Pg. 117.