History of Jews in Germany – Through People’s Biographies | Culture and Lifestyle in Germany and Europe | >

The traveling exhibition Menschen, Bilder, Orte – 1700 Jahre jüdisches Leben in Deutschland (People, Images, Places. 1700 Years of Jewish Life in Germany) has opened at the LVR-Landeshaus Regional Museum in Cologne. Curated by the MiQua Jewish Museum team in the Archaeological Quarter of Cologne, the exhibition tells about the multifaceted Jewish life and Jewish culture in German-speaking countries since the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine: about the ups and downs, about the isolation and persecution that Jews were subjected to at different times, but also about their daily life, worldview, social cohesion, solidarity and unity.

From Abraham von Oppenheim to Edith Stein

The exhibition includes four sections, divided into multimedia cubes with interactive equipment, moving images, audio and video materials. Their themes are law and lawlessness, life and coexistence, religion and philosophy, art and culture. The general storyline of the exposition is such that the history of the Jewish people is told through the prism of the biographies of individual people, whose lives were marked by important events and periods in the history of Jews in Germany and Europe. In other words, the main emphasis is placed on the history of everyday life, that is, the interpretation of what happened on the basis of the testimony of specific individuals.

Such eminent citizens of Cologne as banker and patron Abraham von Oppenheim (1804-1878), cantor of the Jewish community, poet, composer, father of Jacques Offenbach Isaac Offenbach (1780-1850) , book illustrator and artist David Levy-Elkan (1808-1865), entrepreneur Leonhard Tietz (1849-1914), lawyer, one of the founders of the World Zionist Organization Max Bodenheimer (1865-1940) , one of the leaders of the World Zionist Organization David Wolfson (David Wolffsohn, 1855-1914), philosopher Edith Stein (Edith Stein, 1891-1942), entrepreneur Richard Stern (Richard Stern, 1899-1967). The exhibition is part of the 1700th anniversary of Jewish life in Germany and will run until August 12.

See also:

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  Jewish holiday Purim in Germany

  The Vizier’s Insidious Plan

  Purim is celebrated in honor of the salvation of the Jews, whom the treacherous and evil vizier Aman wanted to destroy in ancient times. He slandered the Jews before the Persian king Artaxerxes. He had already signed a decree on their mass murder on the day that determined the lot (pur; hence the name of the holiday). But the beautiful and clever Esther, the Jewess and the wife of Artaxerxes, thwarted Haman’s plan.

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  Jewish holiday Purim in Germany

  “The Jews had joy …”

  And instead of death, as they say in the biblical Book of Esther (Esther or Esther in the Orthodox interpretation), “the Jews had joy and joy, a feast, and a feast day.” On this day, this canonical book is read in synagogues. Moreover, at each mention of the name of Haman, all those present begin to knock, whistle, shout and twist special rattles.

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  Jewish holiday Purim in Germany

  Carnival without processions

  Purim is a religious holiday with carnival elements. On this day, they usually arrange funny processions with disguises, wigs (as in the first picture), false beards, rattles … Now, due to the pandemic, almost none of this, of course, is. Is that a clownish clown nose – and then on a mask …

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  Jewish holiday Purim in Germany

  Outdoor purim

  All public events have been banned due to the coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, in the Berlin Chabad Center, they found an opportunity, observing all the requirements of hygiene, to celebrate Purim in the open air, at least in such a narrow circle. Chabad Berlin with synagogue, mikvah and club was established in 2007. It is the largest of 17 such centers in Germany.

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  Jewish holiday Purim in Germany

  After sunset

  The Torah scroll with the story of Esther was read in the courtyard of the synagogue, since the weather in Germany is very warm now. Purim began this year on February 25 after sunset and will end on Friday evening.

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  Jewish holiday Purim in Germany

  Oldest Book of Esther

  This is one of the oldest Torah scrolls in Germany with the Book of Esther. It is kept in the Jewish Museum in Rendsburg. The scroll was written in 1939, after the “Kristallnacht” of Jewish pogroms in Germany, when the Nazis burned and desecrated many Jewish relics in synagogues.

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  Jewish holiday Purim in Germany

  Hag Sameah!

  Despite the pandemic and related bans and restrictions, Purim is the most cheerful Jewish holiday this year too. And, as always, the Jews on this day congratulate each other and to everyone – acquaintances and strangers – they say: “Chag Sameach!” What does it mean: “Happy holiday!”

  Author: Efim Shuman

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