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The Soul That Is Inside the Landscape
 

The Soul That Is Inside the Landscape

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Conversion on the dance floor - A weekly report by an Israeli in Berlin
By Amit Epstein  |  31/03/2011

It happens from time to time, mostly by surprise, that on my way I pass by a street called "Judengasse" or "Judenstrasse". In Germany, in Austria and in Switzerland it's common, but also in France there is "Route de Juif" and "Jews walk" "Jews row" or "Jews lane" in England and even Australia. Usually these names were given at a time, in which Jews were not allowed to choose their residency freely. Jews were considered foreigners and were marked not only by symbols and pieces of clothing but also by addresses.
                                                                         
                                                                        Photo: Amit Epstein
 
In Goettingen, I remember, the "Jüdenstraße" (like in Berlin, here with an ü instead of u to emphasize the Yiddish pronunciation in contrast to the Hochdeutsch – the high form of German) still is the main shopping street, as it used to be since the medieval times. The "Judengasse" in Frankfurt, for example, was one of the earliest Ghettos in Europe, where life went on in-between one "Judenschlacht" (Pogrom) to the other, from one "Judenstättigkeit" (Code of Residence specified for Jews) To the next. Probably the most famous residences were the Rothschild family (watch the propaganda film "The House of Rothschild" 1934 on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZNxbFXkudoand if you have the time, take the bother of reading the comments – that will connect the past to the present for you better then anything I can write about it).
 
Whether trading in textiles, in confection, in second hand items, jewelry, woods or banking, Jews were pushing the wheels of progressive economics since hundreds of years, for their own benefit – but also in the advantage of others. Still, they were usually thanked by envy, hatred and alienation leading to theft, blackmail and eventually more the occasionally death.
 

In Austria here's even a place called "Judenburg" (Jews' castle) and in Vienna a main square named since the 15th century "Judenplatz". Although the names themselves, out of the original context, do not seem to be negative (to those of us who do not conceive Judaism and Jews as the source of all evil etc.) obviously they carry a load of meanings, which might be considered sub-textual today, but were not such in principal. Interesting enough, most of the areas in which those streets lay at, are trendy centers today – vivid neighborhoods, with cultural value. So is the Judenplatz in Vienna, in the center of the city, in what is called the Bermuda triangle, due to the form a few streets junctions create. I find the term "Bermuda triangle" to also be interesting psychologically, or should I say subconsciously, as the whole era of 1930-1950 is blurred into invented common circumstances. Still, in the center of this square there is a monument in the form and function we got used to, as memory in open spaces is only allowed to be erected in concrete, in grey and clearly dictated text signs attached. Somehow I think that more then the sophistication in references this monument has (after reading the signs I saw it as well) the fact that in such a path in the middle of life sits this big bulky stone on the way, blocking the view, is a great (even if accidental) metaphor, which hopefully won't mysteriously disappear from the view of those delicate local opera lovers, elegantly dinning with their backs to the void.

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 2 Responses to this subject
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1. "Progressive" economics?
Big Bill (30-11-2011) 
2. A main street in the south of France
TBLCN (14-07-2011) 
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