☺☺☺☺_
While I was planning for a soon to happen trip to Germany, a
close friend suggested that I read Berlin
for Jews by Leonard Barkan. Mr. Barkan has written a short book (about 180
pages), but he gives an in depth look into the history of Jewish life in
Berlin.
 |
| Photo from www.princeton.edu |
Berlin for Jews presents its history by
concentrating on a cemetery, a neighborhood, and three people. You may think
that this specificity would narrow to author’s scope. However, this focus
allows Mr. Barkan to explore wide swaths of Berlin’s history through the lens
of Jewish life that spans almost two centuries.
Taking us to the past, Berlin
for Jews starts its journey at the end of life – The Shönhauser Allee Jewish Burial
Grounds. This
cemetery was the primary burial site for Berlin’s Jewish community from 1827 to
1880. While it is not the largest Jewish cemetery in Berlin, its residents
represent a key time in the growth of the community’s size and influence in
Berlin’s life, business and government. Mr. Barkan takes us on a tour of the
people who are buried here, sharing their lives, their memorials, and their
epitaphs.
From their final resting place, we travel to the living
quarters of a large part of the Jewish population. Bayeriches Viertel was an integrated neighborhood,
south of the center of Berlin. It was built in the mid-1800’s using the newest
architectural theories to provide light and fresh air to all apartments in the
buildings. Bayeriches Viertel became a center of culture and night-life. Its
cafes attracted writers and artists. Its buildings became home to a wide
variety of Jewish and Christian residents. Businessmen, writers, artists, and
teachers all lived here. Mr. Barkan takes us on a walking tour, leading us to
buildings that are interesting both because of the architecture of their design
and the people who occupied them.
 |
| Rahel Varnegan via Wikimedia Commons |
Which brings us to the next section of Mr. Barkan’s tour of
Berlin. This time he introduces us to three prominent Jewish residents of the
city, each representing important moments in Berlin’s Jewish history. Rahel Varnegen (1771-1833) hosted one of the premier salons of her era. At a time when Berlin was becoming a major
European city, her salon attracted the biggest names in Berlin society. Jews
and Christians, entertainers, composers, members of government, and the royal
family all spent time in her parlor. James Simon (1851-1932) was an entrepreneur, philanthropist and art
collector. He was a cotton merchant and textile manufacturer. He spent most of
his fortune collecting art and financing archeological digs in the Middle East.
Most of his vast collection was donated to Berlin's various museums and today it makes up a large part of their collection.
 |
| James Simon via Wikimedia Commons |
Finally, Walter Benjamin (1892-1940) was a philosopher and a literary and social critic. He wrote extensively on the philosophy of history, art criticism and role of the physical city in social connections, that is how the design of an urban area can influence the interactions of its residents.
 |
| Walter Benjamin - By Photo d'identité sans auteur, 1928 [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
These three people represent various aspects of Jewish life
in Berlin. Not so much religious life, but they illustrate the degrees of
integration into German society, role of Zionism, and social progressivism.
They also give a view to the conflicts between Jewish and German social
structures, and those within the Jewish community.
The weakness of this fascinating book is that there is almost
too much information. Too many names, too many dates, all crammed into a short
book. At times I lost interest and desire to work my way through it all.
However, where the book worked well, where Mr. Barkan takes us inside his own
tour of Berlin, it is an excellent guide for walking in the footsteps of
history.
If you want to explore parts of Berlin that are not in the
main tour books, and see a section of the city that has been under developed in
the post-WW II era, Berlin for Jews
is a good rescource.