Synagogue in Lomnice

The Synagogue in Lomnice is one of the most significant remnants of Jewish heritage in Moravia, standing on the former Jewish Square in the historic Jewish quarter of the small town of Lomnice, in the Brno-venkov district. Administratively the building is sometimes linked to nearby Brusná, which has been part of the Lomnice municipality since 1996 together with Řepka and Veselí, but the synagogue itself and its history belong firmly to Lomnice's old town center.

When did Jews first settle in Lomnice?

The earliest written mention of a Jewish presence in Lomnice dates back to 1571, though only a handful of Jewish residents lived there through the 16th and 17th centuries. The turning point came at the start of the 18th century, when several hundred Jews were resettled to Lomnice from nearby Lysice. This influx led to the founding of the town's first organized Jewish community, complete with its own prayer hall, and soon afterward Count Antonín Amat had a wooden synagogue built for the growing congregation.

Why was a new synagogue needed?

The original wooden structure quickly proved too small, especially after the Josephine reforms brought a wave of emancipation to Jewish communities across the monarchy. On 16 August 1791 the Jewish council approved construction of a new, permanent building. Work was completed in 1794, and the synagogue was ceremonially opened under the leadership of community elder Isaac Wollner. Notably, even though Classicism dominated European architecture at the time, the building was raised in a deliberately conservative late Baroque style — which is why some sources broaden its construction period to 1780–1785, describing it as a rebuilding of an earlier structure on the same site.

How large was Lomnice's Jewish community?

Around 1800, roughly 80 Jewish families — about 611 people — lived in Lomnice, making up at least half of the town's total population at the time. During the first half of the 19th century the town was even home to a yeshiva, a Jewish institution of higher religious learning. From the mid-19th century onward, however, the community steadily shrank: by 1848 it numbered 306 people (20% of the population), by 1900 only 88 (5%), and by 1930 just 30 people (2%). The Jewish community of Lomnice was formally dissolved in 1929.

What happened to the community during the occupation?

The fate of Lomnice's remaining Jewish residents was sealed during the Nazi occupation. Deportations took place between December 1941 and April 1942: the first transport, designated K, left on 5 December 1941, while the last and largest transport, from Brno, departed on 4 April 1942 (transport Ah). None of the deported Jews of Lomnice survived to return.

What can visitors see in Lomnice today?

The synagogue stands on the west side of the former Jewish square, north of the town center, and is now a protected cultural monument of the Czech Republic. Together with the town's surviving Jewish cemetery, it forms an important stop on the trail of Jewish heritage in South Moravia, alongside similarly preserved sites in Boskovice and Dolní Kounice. Visitors can trace the layout of the former ghetto, take in the synagogue's austere late Baroque facade, and learn more about centuries of Jewish life in the region.

Frequently asked questions

Is the synagogue located in Lomnice or in Brusná? The building itself stands in Lomnice proper, though Brusná has been administratively part of the same municipality since 1996.

Can visitors go inside the synagogue? It is a legally protected monument; visitors should check locally for current access before planning a visit.

What happened to the Jewish community of Lomnice? It was formally dissolved in 1929, and its remaining members were deported between 1941 and 1942 during the Nazi occupation.