Rare discovery in the archive of the Olomouc Museum of Art

Recently, Peter Szalay from the Department of Architecture at the Institute of History of Art of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava, a theorist of art specializing in modern architecture, managed to find the original designs of architect Peter Behrens for the building of the neologian synagogue in Žilina in the archive of the Museum of Art in Olomouc, which were considered definitively lost. Peter Szalay had previously discovered older Behrens sketches at the Pfalzgalerie in Kaiserslautern, Germany. This interesting discovery was publicly presented by Peter Szalay along with the mentioned original Behrens drawings (7 pieces) during a lecture at the beginning of the conference (Re)thinking Architecture. This took place from April 29 to 30, 2013, at the New Synagogue in Žilina and at the City Hall of Žilina. It was attended by local and Polish experts on modern architecture and heritage from Poland and Slovakia as part of the project “Joint Rescue of Cultural Heritage – Behrens' Synagogue in Žilina”, number PL-SK/ZA/IPP/III/143. The project is co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund as part of the cross-border cooperation program Poland-Slovak Republic 2007 – 2013. The New Synagogue is a top work of Central European and global significance, as even the search for documents confirms. The traces of researchers led far beyond the borders of Slovakia to Israel, Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. Alongside Peter Szalay and his colleagues, further experts from the Department of Restoration of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design, the Faculty of Architecture at STU, and the University of Žilina, with the willing support of the Regional Monuments Office, the State Archive in Žilina and Bytča, and other institutions have participated in the architectural, restoration, and archival research of the New Synagogue since 2011. This finding thus concludes two years of searching and marks a breakthrough in the process of restoring the monument. Peter Szalay is working on the synagogue research as part of the project “APVV – 0375-10 - Differentiated Typology of Modernism: Theoretical Basis for the Maintenance and Restoration of Modern Architecture Works”. In conclusion, thanks should go, alongside Peter Szalay and Prof. Vladimír Šlapeta from the Brno University of Technology, to other experts: Mgr. Martina Mertová (Museum of Art, Olomouc), Dr. Heinz Höfchen (Museum Pfalzgalerie, Kaiserslautern), Prof. Matúš Dulla (Czech Technical University, Prague), Wilfried Posch (University for Artistic & Industrial Design, Linz), Doc. Henrieta Moravčíková (ÚSTARCH SAV, Bratislava), Doc. Dana Bořutová (FF UK, Bratislava).

The reconstruction of Behrens' New Synagogue into a kunsthalle began in 2012, with the monument symbolically leased by the NGO Truc sphérique from the Jewish Religious Community in Žilina for 30 years. Besides demolishing all later modifications to the interior, the goal is to research and prepare a comprehensive project for the restoration and revitalization of the building into an artistic institution. The association is gradually succeeding in gathering funds from various sources. In addition to the public fundraising campaign "Buy Immortality," which has already raised over 27,000 euros, support from the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic, the City of Žilina, and private sponsors, two smaller European grants have also been secured. However, out of the total budget of one million euros, three-quarters are still missing, which the Truc sphérique association is seeking. For example, a new interesting campaign by the real estate agency Licitor that paraphrases the collection “Buy Property and Gain Immortality” could help. As part of this campaign, Licitor has pledged to contribute to the reconstruction with a portion of its commission for every real estate sale.

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