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Two thousand years of Jewish history
Times of success and tragedy come alive in two stunning Berlin museums
Article & photos by Lucy Komisar
Times of success and tragedy come alive in two stunning Berlin museums
Article & photos by Lucy Komisar
| Pg 1 of 3 | Next Page | |
It was just a swatch of cloth, a fabric of golden yellow with eight rows of
stars stamped in their outlines and waiting to be cut out. The stars were
manufactured by the Berlin flag maker, Geitel & Co, and Jews had to pay 10
pfennig to buy them. Jews six and older had to wear them on their clothing.
stars stamped in their outlines and waiting to be cut out. The stars were
manufactured by the Berlin flag maker, Geitel & Co, and Jews had to pay 10
pfennig to buy them. Jews six and older had to wear them on their clothing.
| Jewish Museum stars of David ready to be cut out |
From the horrifically mundane, to the surreally horrible, the Jewish Museum
in Berlin, which opened in 2001, has an astonishing collection of exhibits. I
thought I could do my routine two-hour walk-through, but I was so
absorbed that I returned a second and third time. It is an extraordinary
museum that uses photos, exhibits and audio to tell a fascinating and
dramatic history of centuries.
in Berlin, which opened in 2001, has an astonishing collection of exhibits. I
thought I could do my routine two-hour walk-through, but I was so
absorbed that I returned a second and third time. It is an extraordinary
museum that uses photos, exhibits and audio to tell a fascinating and
dramatic history of centuries.
The entrance is through the Collegienhaus, a baroque structure
built in 1735 for the regal Court of Justice and rebuilt after its
destruction in World War II. But most of the exhibits are in a
postmodern building, a huge angular winding gray zinc structure
that is said to have been inspired by a broken Star of David. It was
designed by the American architect Daniel Libeskind and was
completed in 1999. Inside now are exhibits that show two millennia
of German Jewish history.
built in 1735 for the regal Court of Justice and rebuilt after its
destruction in World War II. But most of the exhibits are in a
postmodern building, a huge angular winding gray zinc structure
that is said to have been inspired by a broken Star of David. It was
designed by the American architect Daniel Libeskind and was
completed in 1999. Inside now are exhibits that show two millennia
of German Jewish history.
| Jewish Museum medieval and earlier |
It starts in medieval times with a replica of a 4th-century terra cotta oil lamp. There are copies of the 1235
sculptures Ecclesia and Synagoga, Church and Synagogue, representing the triumph of Christianity over
Judaism. Ecclesia wears a crown and Synagoga is blindfolded, common on European churches. And a
facsimile of a parchment and ink paper outlining residence restrictions for Jews in 1354.
sculptures Ecclesia and Synagoga, Church and Synagogue, representing the triumph of Christianity over
Judaism. Ecclesia wears a crown and Synagoga is blindfolded, common on European churches. And a
facsimile of a parchment and ink paper outlining residence restrictions for Jews in 1354.
The exhibits go to the present. They tell the story of Europe's Jews
who were prominent in German society – through the Middle Ages,
the 18th-century Enlightenment with figures such as Moses
Mendelssohn, the impact of political ideas of the 19th century, Jews
in the Weimar Republic, and the repression that culminated in the
Holocaust.
Everyone has their favorites in a museum. Here are mine. They focus
on Jewish political and artistic achievements before the Nazis'
destruction. Here are some examples.
Walter Rathenau had been Germany's foreign minister for four
months, working for a new democratic state after World War I, when
on June 24, 1922 he was murdered by members of an extreme
rightwing secret organization. The nationalists and right-wingers,
attacking him as representing the "Jews Republic," made him a
scapegoat for the conditions of the peace treaty which Germans
considered harsh.
who were prominent in German society – through the Middle Ages,
the 18th-century Enlightenment with figures such as Moses
Mendelssohn, the impact of political ideas of the 19th century, Jews
in the Weimar Republic, and the repression that culminated in the
Holocaust.
Everyone has their favorites in a museum. Here are mine. They focus
on Jewish political and artistic achievements before the Nazis'
destruction. Here are some examples.
Walter Rathenau had been Germany's foreign minister for four
months, working for a new democratic state after World War I, when
on June 24, 1922 he was murdered by members of an extreme
rightwing secret organization. The nationalists and right-wingers,
attacking him as representing the "Jews Republic," made him a
scapegoat for the conditions of the peace treaty which Germans
considered harsh.
| Jewish Museum painting of Walter Rathenau |
Here are three favorite oil paintings. Notice how they are all avant garde for the time and all use earth
colors.
colors.
Joseph Budko (1888-1940), born in Poland but a student of art in
Germany, painted "Mother and Daughter" in 1925. It deals with a
topic being talked about then a lot: "origins vs. future." In 1933,
he settled in Palestine and in 1935 became the director of the
New Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts. He did etchings and
woodcuts and helped define and develop Israeli art.
Germany, painted "Mother and Daughter" in 1925. It deals with a
topic being talked about then a lot: "origins vs. future." In 1933,
he settled in Palestine and in 1935 became the director of the
New Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts. He did etchings and
woodcuts and helped define and develop Israeli art.
Jankel Adler's "Sabbath" was painted in Düsseldorf 1927-28. It
shows the end of the Sabbath, a man lying on his tallit and no
longer reading from prayer book. His wife looks at the Sabbath
table with its half eaten challah, an empty wine glass, and
extinguished candles. Adler (1895-1949, was an avant garde
artist who lived most of his life in Poland. Many of his paintings
were confiscated by the Nazis. "Sabbath" was brought to
Palestine in 1933 and returned to Germany in 1955.
shows the end of the Sabbath, a man lying on his tallit and no
longer reading from prayer book. His wife looks at the Sabbath
table with its half eaten challah, an empty wine glass, and
extinguished candles. Adler (1895-1949, was an avant garde
artist who lived most of his life in Poland. Many of his paintings
were confiscated by the Nazis. "Sabbath" was brought to
Palestine in 1933 and returned to Germany in 1955.
Felix Nussabaum, who did this "Self portrait," was a surrealist. He spent the
last ten years of his life in exile, mostly in Belgium. When the Nazis attacked in
1940, Belgian police arrested him as a "hostile alien" and sent him to a French
prison camp. He asked to be returned to Germany, and on the train escaped to
Brussels. He spent the next four years in hiding with Felka, the painter he
would marry, with money from friends that allowed them to live and paint. The
couple was captured by the Germans in 1944, a few months after his parents
were murdered in Auschwitz. They were taken there as well; Felix, a major
painter, died at 39.
last ten years of his life in exile, mostly in Belgium. When the Nazis attacked in
1940, Belgian police arrested him as a "hostile alien" and sent him to a French
prison camp. He asked to be returned to Germany, and on the train escaped to
Brussels. He spent the next four years in hiding with Felka, the painter he
would marry, with money from friends that allowed them to live and paint. The
couple was captured by the Germans in 1944, a few months after his parents
were murdered in Auschwitz. They were taken there as well; Felix, a major
painter, died at 39.
| Jewish Museum - Mother and Daughter by Joseph Budko 1888-1940, 1925 oil, focusing on topic origins and future |
| Jewish Museum - Sabbath, by Jankel Adler, born near Lodz 1895, an avant garde artist, painting brought to Palestine 33, returned to Germany 55 |
| Jewish Museum Self Portrait - Felix Nussbaum |
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you. If you are looking to connect with other like-minded women or if you are interested in finding businesses or services
that cater to women, WAVE Journey is your number one online travel resource.
WAVE Journey is your one-stop online resource for women-oriented travel businesses & services
around the world.
WAVE Journey is for every woman to enjoy. If you love to travel, cook, read or revel in outdoor activities this website is for
you. If you are looking to connect with other like-minded women or if you are interested in finding businesses or services
that cater to women, WAVE Journey is your number one online travel resource.