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Places of Remembrance – A Memorial in Berlin
9I live in the Bavarian Quarter of Berlin’s Schöneberg district. When I open my window I hear birds chirping, see bunnies scamper across the lawns and one time I even spotted a hedgehog. You wouldn’t believe my neighbourhood is just a ten minutes walk from the busiest shopping street in Berlin, Kurfürstendamm. It is easy to imagine that I live in the suburbs.
Throughout the Bavarian Quarter there are two-sided signs on lampposts; on one side there are innocent images of things like park benches, envelopes, a no-entry sign, or a loaf of bread, on the opposite side, anti-Jewish laws and regulations are written. These texts are examples of some of the cruelties experienced by the Jewish population between 1933 and 1945 at the hands of the National Socialist. There are 80 such signs in the Bavarian Quarter, created by artists Renata Stih and Frieder Schnock in the early 90′s. The memorial is called “Orte des Erinnerns” (“Places of Remembrance”) and it reminds the viewers of the gradual loss of rights that lead to the total expulsion of Jews from Berlin.
“Jews in Berlin are only allowed to buy food between four and five o’clock in the afternoon. July 4, 1940“
It’s a memorial which shows how anti-Semitism permeated everyday life and even reached the peaceful surroundings of the Bavarian Quarter.
In 1933 there were 16.000 Jews living in the Bavarian Quarter of Schöneberg, by 1943 there were no more.
Incredible story! I’ve been to Berlin couple of times but never visited the bavarian quarter. I should go next time, actually you should show me next time, I guess I’ll be there in January!
Thank you Sebastian. And yes, for sure I can show you the Bavarian Quarter
See you in January
Very moving. I’ll look for these signs when I’m in Berlin. Thanks for telling us about this important memorial.
Wow, talk about impactful!
Wow – I believe the situation is the same in Poland where they destroyed so many Jewish people – the population drop was staggering. I think it’s really good that there is a memorial like this, though – ensures that people don’t forget this tragic time.
When I visited my friend who was in an apartment just south at Bayerischer Platz in Berlin, they took me around for a walk around the neighbourhood and saw the signs. I was slowing the group down, as I kept stopping to read, because I cannot resist reading signage.
Absolut sehenswert; nachdenklich!
Thanks for your post, Yvonne!
Wow….interesting concept for a memorial. It seems like it would really catch visitors off guard and grab their attention, which would be a good way to get them to think. Thanks for sharing.
I dont think the signs are for visitors of Germany but for Germans themselves, considering that they are written in German and no English translation is provided. Not a critique just an observation. The point is to remind Germans to never allow this to happen again. I took a few pictures of some of these signs and might do a post similar to this one. Great post Yvonne!
Wie komisch, dass jemand, die Bayern nicht leiden kann, im Bayerischen Viertel Berlins wohnt!
Spaß bei Seite: danke für die Erinnerung.