Architectural and Cultural Heritage (M.A.)

Background

For centuries, Jewish presence contributed to the history of contemporary Saxony-Anhalt. In the course of the centuries, synagogues, ritual baths, Jewish community centers, schools as well as hospitals and other institutions had an influence on the appearance of local cityscapes.

Despite the atrocities committed during the time of the national socialism, in the course of which many synagogues were looted and burned to the ground in 1938, you can still find old Jewish places today. They can be found in bigger cities such as Halle or Magdeburg but also in smaller municipalities such as Köthen, Dessau or Schönebeck. The buildings and places form memory spaces dedicated to preserving the memory for the former Jewish residents who were forced to emigrate or who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. At the same time, Jewish life in Saxony-Anhalt is gaining new strength today, creating contemporary places of Jewish life paving the way for future generations in the region.

Aim of the Project 

In 2029, Dessau and the world will be celebrating the 300^th birthday of the philosopher and Jewish thinker Moses Mendelssohn who was a key figure shaping the Haskalah (the Jewish Enlightenment) in the 18^thcentury. To mark this anniversary, the places of Jewish life in Saxony-Anhalt will be examined and displayed for the public. The undertaking will be executed by an interdisciplinary research team from Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and the Bet Tfila – Research Unit for Jewish Architecture at the Technische Universität Braunschweig. The aim is to analyze anew these places in their contemporary appearance, to gather historical factors and to publish the results on an online platform (a website or a map). To inform the public passing the places, the team plans to set up signage and plates bearing information on the place and its history in situ.

Furthermore, a teaching and research position is planned at the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences that would focus its activities on Jewish places. The main objective of the teaching position is to help students learn about the diverse Jewish heritage of the region as well as to learn new techniques when approaching architectural surveying. This way, the students will acquire practical and theoretical knowledge in the field of architectural analysis as well as Jewish and local history. The course results can then be archived and used in research and work concerning Jewish heritage and local heritage in general.