Abstract
stories of migration, in- and exclusion, acculturation, persecution, and resilience characterizing Jewish life in Europe over two millennia
The year 2021 marks the 1700th anniversary of a Roman imperial edict representing the first historical evidence of Jewish life in the territory of modern-day Germany. The Leo Baeck Institute (LBI) is marking the anniversary with its Shared History Project, an online exhibition of 58 objects revealing how interwoven the lives of Jews and non-Jews have been over these nearly two millennia. LBI's Director of Communications and Programs, David Brown, will present the Shared History Project at the opening of a related poster exhibition in the Iversen Center for Faith at the University of St. Thomas. His remarks will focus on how the objects were selected to tell stories of migration, exile, inclusion, exclusion, daily life, achievement, persecution, and exile, and how these topics are relevant not only to Jewish history, but to contemporary life in all diverse, pluralist societies. Brown will also offer a deeper look at a handful of iconic objects and the collections where they are preserved. From a portrait of one of Germany's most famous feminists to a dress worn on a Paris stage at the turn of the 20th century to East Germany's ubiquitous "Schwalbe" motorbike, the objects' connections to Jewish history are not always obvious, but a closer look reveals much about the place of Jewish people in German society and German history. Before and after the lecture by David Brown (LBI), guests will have a chance to view the two poster exhibitions 1700 Years of Jewish Life in German-Speaking Lands and Crimes Uncovered: First Generation Holocaust Researchers in the lobby of the Iverson Center for Faith. Both exhibitions are available November 8-22, 2021.
- Opening Reception/Lecture: November 10, 2021, 6pm – Reception; 7:15pm – Lecture and Q&A
- Tickets: Admission free & open to the public, registration required
- Location: University of St. Thomas, Iversen Center for Faith, Shoenecker Hall; Interactive Campus Map
- Visitor Parking: For pay-by-the hour parking options click here
- Sponsors: This event is part of the 2021 "A Time To Act" Campus Campaign sponsored by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Washington, D.C. and the University of St. Thomas.
Co-sponsors: University of St. Thomas (German Program, College of Arts and Science, Office for Mission, Interfaith Council, Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies, and the Department of Theology), Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Washington, D.C. • Leo Baeck Institute New York & Berlin
Additional Supporters of the event: Germanic-American Institute St. Paul
COVID-Response: Face covering mandate when on campus and inside university buildings, vaccination strongly encouraged.
Accessibility: All programs offered by the University of St. Thomas shall be readily accessible to individuals with disabilities. For details, call (651) 962-6315.
Exhibitions: The lecture by David Brown is the opening to the exhibition 1700 Years of Jewish Lives in German-Speaking Lands displayed in the lobby of the Iversen Center for Faith and available from November 8-22, 2021. In addition, there will be a second exhibition about pioneer Holocaust researchers. Crimes Uncovered: The First Generation of Holocaust Researchers (Exhibition) This exhibition will present the stories of Jewish academics who resisted the Germans and their collaborators by documenting, collecting, and securing evidence of the crimes committed against the Jewish people during the Holocaust. These women and men, who shaped the foundation of our current knowledge of the Holocaust, denied the perpetrators an ultimate triumph: the murders were neither forgotten nor consigned to oblivion. Instead, their commitment led to memorials, research institutes, court cases, and the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, of 1948. The exhibition seeks to commemorate the life and work of these pioneers. They were all Jewish of various nationalities, came from different backgrounds and had different professions. They dedicated their lives to making the world a better place ruled by law and mindful of the horrible crimes which were committed during the Second World War.