Europe's Largest Jewish Cemetery to be Restored
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A major renovation effort is underway at Europe's largest Jewish cemetery located in Berlin's Weissensee area. The cemetery, a testament to Germany's Jewish heritage, is also applying for UNESCO status.
Located in northeastern Berlin, the Weissensee cemetery encompasses some 42 hectares and is home to more than 115,000 gravestones - the largest of its kind anywhere in Europe and representative of the historical role of the Jewish community in Germany. It includes mausoleums and gravestones.
The cemetery has fallen into disarray in recent decades, with many pathways becoming inaccessible and tombstones crumbling. Now the German federal government together with the Berlin city-state government will contribute nearly 1 million euros each to support the restoration.
At a press conference announcing the restoration work to be undertaken, the head of the Jewish Community of Berlin Lalla Süsskind said: "Our community is very grateful. We have never had that sort of money."
The restoration project, however, is estimated to cost some 245 million euros. The Jewish Community of Berlin is soliciting additional sponsorship from major international organizations. The community's application for the Weissensee cemetery to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site would moreover grant the renovation effort additional funding. The cemetery may also collaborate with other Jewish cemeteries in Prague, Vienna, and the German cities of Mainz and Hamburg.
The Jewish community in Berlin has experienced a kind of revival in recent years. Events like the annual Jewish Cultural Days, the "Jüdische Kulturtage", draw large interest from around Germany and Europe, with artists participating in a large theater, film, music and dance program. Germany's largest synagogue, located in the eastern Berlin suburb of Prenzlauer Berg, was completed in 2007 after undergoing three years of restoration.
The German Jewish community was almost 600,000 strong prior to Hitler's Holocaust, with significant numbers in Berlin. Today the Central Council of Jews in Germany counts some 106,000 members in established Jewish communities across the country. And the entire Jewish population in Germany is about 240,000, with a significant number living in Berlin.
Related Links:
The Central Council of Jews in Germany
Jewish Community of Berlin (in German)
