One of the showiest houses in Lviv, which for so many years has been the background of postcards with the image of the monument to Adam Mickiewicz, and at the same time a symbol of our city, is the house of Schprecher. This high-rise modern building, which was called the first Lviv skyscraper, is marked by a combination of artistic harmony with innovative monumental forms. It was built in 1921, architects Ferdinand Kassler and Julian Cybulski; now the building has the address Adam Mickiewicz Square, 8. The owner and customer of the house was Jojne Schprecher (1861-1942 or 1943).
Before the First World War, Schprecher was one of the richest people in Lviv. He invested heavily in the construction of high-rise buildings in the central part of the city, hoping not only to quickly recoup costs, but also a quick profit (owing to the high prices for rent). In 1911 Schprecher bought the house of Prince K. Poninsky and ordered a project of a high-rise building, which should appear in its place. He was fascinated by the latest architecture and probably recommended that architects focus on the style of New York skyscrapers. Construction work began the following year. The city council approved the design of the façade in 1913, despite doubts and criticism about the feasibility of building a high-rise building in the city center, which can distort the architectural landscape of the city. A year later, the building was protested by priests of the Latin Cathedral and Tadeusz Obminski, a guardian of the city’s architectural monuments, who said aloud that the prospect of the towers closing the cathedral’s tower was unacceptable. As a result, the city council decided to stop construction. In August 1918 Schprecher submitted a request to the city council for permission to complete the construction. The meeting of the city council was stormy. Still, he was allowed to complete the construction, but at the suggestion of architect Wincent Rawski, the building could not exceed a height of 24 meters. Therefore, Schprecher had to abandon the idea of crowning the building with tall towers, and limit the six-story house (actually the house has eight floors) with attics with small turrets. Although the Polish-Ukrainian war of 1918-1919 delayed the construction, the building was completed in 1921. In the following year it was occupied by various institutions, including the Romanian consulate. Most of the premises were rented by the French oil concern “Małopolska”, and a pharmacy and shops were opened on the ground floor.
The business of a rich Lviv burgher with ambitious architectural tastes flourished until 1939. Schprecher perished in the Holocaust. Neither the exact date of his death, nor its circumstances, nor the place of burial are known. However, the spirit of an enterprising and cultured Jew continues to live in the imposing buildings he built, which still adorn our city.
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