The Jewish Museum Vienna is currently running a temporary exhibition on Jewish life and death in WWI as part of The Great War centenary series, and was the primary purpose of my visit. In conjunction with a relatively new permanent exhibit on "Jewish Vienna--Then to Now!"at the museum, I thought I was in for a composite history lesson on Jewish life in Vienna.
My visit turned out to be not so composite.
In 1988 Vienna established the Jewish Museum Vienna, followed five years later by a second museum, Museum Judenplatz, which sits in the heart of the former medieval Jewish Quarter. Museum Judenplatz offers visitors a look at the foundation of the medieval synagogue, as well as exhibits on more contemporary Jewish culture. On my recent visit there was an exhibit on the life of Amy Winehouse, curated in part by her brother, who, based on the exhibit, loved his little sister a great deal.
Medieval Jewish Vienna and Contemporary Jewish culture. Check.
An entire floor was devoted to the masterful collection of Max Berger, a Polish Jew who came to Vienna in the 1950s searching for his lost family's heritage and managed to amass over 10.000 artifacts of Jewish life not only in Vienna but across the empire.
To complement the collection was an electronic display of Vienna's 52 former synagogues, with photos before and (well) after Kristallnacht.
Broadstroke look at centuries of Jewish culture. Check.
I learned through the notes, diaries, and propaganda material that approximately 300.000 Jewish soldiers served Emperor Franz Josef throughout The Great War in a variety of positions. Though the Emperor had guaranteed the Jewish soldiers legal security, the end of the empire brought with it unfavorable conditions for the loyal Jewish soldiers.
Jewish Vienna during WWI. Check.
Two floors of the museum were devoted to "Jewish Vienna--Then to Now!," from which a couple of promotional photos from the museum website are shared below.
The Hakoah (Jewish Sports Club) swimmers, circa 1950s.
Margrit Dobronyi, a Jewish photographer who captured everyday Jewish life between 1960 and 2000.
Vienna Jewish Life Post-WWII. Check.
*My outing was educational, as I'd hoped, but was a little less than complete. Let's recap my visit; can you spot the missing period of Jewish history in Vienna?
Medieval Jewish Vienna and Contemporary Jewish culture. Check.
Broadstroke look at centuries of Jewish cultural artifacts. Check.
Jewish Vienna during WWI. Check.
Vienna Jewish Life Post-WWII. Check.
I am not going to stand on my red, white, and blue soap box and proclaim that America fairly and squarely owns up to its history, or that it even portrays some of its history well. I guess, sadly, in every country's history there will always be a "Then* to Now."
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At the center of Judenplatz is Vienna's main monument to Holocaust victims, a library building with identical books on shelves facing inward, to represent the large number of victims. Around the base are the names of the concentration camps to which the victims were sent.
Hi Victoria, pardon me, but I think you're just a little too harsh with the
ReplyDeleteJewish Museum. If they don't stress the holocaust years, then it's on purpose.
This museum features jewish LIFE in Vienna, it's very considerable cultural and
social achievements and doesn't want to be another memorial of genocide.
It's run by jews - so why would they avoid the satanic years of our history?
I didn't visit since it was revamped, but even before this institution didn't consider
itself as another holocaust memorial site. I live in the 2nd district, there are " Stolpersteine" with people murdered before nearly any building - names, dates of birth and (violent) death, which is (I at least think so) a better way to remember what was wrong in this state and city in that time. And when I see orthodox jews strolling along on their rollercoasters, I enjoy it, because I consider it the definite sign that Mr.Hitler has finally lost the war.
Kind regards
reo
city.
Hi Reo,
DeleteAs always, I appreciate your comments and was, admittedly, hoping to hear from you on this subject.
The museum, according to its website, states, "The Jewish Museum of the City of Vienna is a place of encounter, confrontation, and understanding, which seeks to raise awareness of Jewish history, religion, and culture."
I tried to describe my visit carefully. I did not expect the museum to focus exclusively on the Holocaust, but I did expect the museum to include more of its interwar history than it did.
The Stolpersteine, and the thriving Jewish community are important reminders of Jewish Vienna. I spend considerable time in the 2nd and have seen them; and have chatted at length with Orthodox Jewish people on my wanderings, as well. I enjoy the vibrant character of Leopoldstadt much more than my own pretentious and stuffy 'hood up in the vineyards.
As a long-term "visitor" in Vienna I am probably more curious about the city's history than others who come for a week or so, and will continue to take the time to investigate topics of interest that go beyond the Imperial and polished "Then* and Now." And, I will always appreciate the comments from you and all other Viennese who may stumble across my writings.
Best regards, Victoria
Interesting post! I can totally see your point about the museum. At the same time, I understand the rationale of the museum curators. I grew up here and, at least in the past twenty years, the memory of the holocaust has been ever present. We learned about concentration camps and all the other atrocities in elementary school, visited multiple camps when we were a little older, etc. A consequence of this constant exposure is that the main association with Jewish culture is death and extinction.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, however, with the horrible past in mind, people need to look forward, and the newly emerging Jewish community here does not want to be reduced to the Shoah, but acknowledge and show to people their rich history and culture complementing the ubiquitous holocaust memorial sites. I think it's important to look at the museum in this context, in its role of not duplicating other sites but of showing something new and positive.
If the museum were run by, say, the government, I would be skeptical as well. But the institution has its roots in the Jewish community, it is run by Jews (as the previous commentator also pointed out), and it has an advisory board consisting of international Jewish scholars and a rabbi, among others. If the Jewish community decides to present itself this way, I respect it. It's their decision. If it clashes with any notion of how we think they should do it, it's even better because it shows that they have found their own position and a way of expressing it.
Don't get me wrong, I am not criticizing your post. I was just trying to formulate an alternative point of view. Always a pleasure to read your blog!
Barbara
Dear Barbara, thank you very much for your thoughtful comments and helpful background. I am delighted that local Viennese bother with my blog at all. I most appreciate your perspective, and welcome healthy criticism, too.
DeleteRegarding perspectives, I recently came upon an article that did not shine a good light upon America with respect to their geographic knowledge of continental Europe (at least those surveyed). The vast majority of respondents could not identify Austria on a blank map, and worse, many identified the country as everything from "IDK" to "Czechoslovakia" to "Land of Borat." Where I am going with this is that I think the Jewish Museum missed an opportunity to inform (visitors like me) and to educate (visitors who are otherwise ignorant about "The Land of Borat"), and those who think Vienna is only Schnitzel and Sacher Torte.
Rather ironically, while visiting the Smithsonian's American History Museum in February while on home leave, I took in an exhibit detailing the story of a Jewish family and their life in Vienna in the 1930's.
Ultimately, you are correct. The Jewish community is entitled to present its history as it chooses, just as I am entitled to comment on said presentation. :)
Cheers!