A Refuge in the Era of the Nazis: The Jewish Retreat Center in Lehnitz
From Our Holdings
In a black-and-white photograph, we see young people at a holiday prayer service. They are at a synagogue in Lehnitz, outside Berlin – one of the last in Germany to be dedicated before the outbreak of the Second World War.
Festive prayer service at the synagogue of the Jewish convalescent home in Lehnitz; Jewish Museum Berlin, gift of Ernest J. Mann, born Ernst Glücksmann
Recreation and Education
In summer 1934, a retreat center had been opened with a festive ceremony in Lehnitz. It soon became a popular conference venue for a variety of Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Women's League and the Reich Representation of Jews in Germany. In addition to recreational and educational activities for children and adults, Lehnitz offered a home economics course for girls. The center attached great importance to strengthening Jewish identity and observing the religion.
The Story of the Coal Cellar
When a place of worship was needed, a room in the basement was converted into a synagogue. In the "Story of the Coal Cellar," Dr. Ernst Simon describes how this came about: "We first threw out the coal, then the junk, and finally the ladders. … We ordered a holy ark, were given two Torah scrolls by the Berlin community, built a bimah, and purchased two ornate chairs and some elegant benches for the interior. And now a new site has emerged for Jewish services."
The coal cellar at the Jewish convalescent home in Lehnitz before it was converted into a synagogue; Jewish Museum Berlin, gift of Ernest J. Mann, born Ernst Glücksmann
The coal cellar at the Jewish convalescent home in Lehnitz before it was converted into a synagogue; Jewish Museum Berlin, gift of Ernest J. Mann, born Ernst Glücksmann
The Director, Frieda Glücksmann
The photo was taken between 1934 and 1938, before the retreat center was closed on 9 November 1938 after the November Pogrom. Frieda Glücksmann – shown second from the left in the last row – was the home's director. In difficult times, she managed to make Lehnitz a place of refuge where Jews could assert their identity and culture in a hostile environment. In 1938, Frieda Glücksman was able to emigrate to England, where she ran homes for Jewish refugee children. The papers of her estate, including numerous documents and photographs related to the history of the Lehnitz Retreat Center, are now part of our collection.
| Title | Synagogue in the Jewish convalescent home in Lehnitz |
|---|---|
| Collection | Photography |
| Location and year of origin | Lehnitz, 1934–1938 |
| Medium | Photographs on silver gelatin paper |
| Acquisition | Gift of Ernest J. Mann, born Ernst Glücksmann |
The synagogue of the Jewish convalescent home in Lehnitz from 1935 to 1938; Jewish Museum Berlin, gift of Ernest J. Mann, born Ernst Glücksmann
The synagogue of the Jewish convalescent home in Lehnitz from 1935 to 1938; Jewish Museum Berlin, gift of Ernest J. Mann, born Ernst Glücksmann
Selected Objects: Photographic Collection (6)
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Photographic Collection
From an early promotional photograph by Yva to documentation of Jewish life in Germany before and after the Shoah, discover selected objects from our Photographic Collection and the stories behind them.
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“Amor Skin”
The vintage print is an example of early promotional photography. Using multiple exposures, the photographer Yva was able to produce unreal and dreamlike images.
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“White Weeks” at the Ury Department Store
With a brightly lit façade, the Ury brothers promoted “White Weeks” to their customers in February 1930. The promotional campaign testified to their modern business practices and their resulting success.
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Hugo Spiegel as Champion Shot
The photograph by Leonard Freed depicts the father of Paul Spiegel, who would later be president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany. The Holocaust survivor was probably the first Jewish champion marksman in Germany.
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Sally Israel in a Bavarian Costume
Three vacationers in folk costumes gather around the Berlin businessman for a souvenir photo from Bad Reichenhall. The spa town had been a prime destination for Jewish vacationers since the mid-nineteenth century.
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Synagogue in the Jewish Retreat Center in Lehnitz
The synagogue was one of the last in Germany to be dedicated before the Second World War. For many, the retreat center became a place where Jews could assert their identity and culture in a hostile environment.
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Rededication of the Synagogue at the Jewish Hospital
One year after the end of the Second World War, in 1946, the synagogue at the Jewish hospital on Iranische Strasse in the Berlin district of Wedding was rededicated. Gradually, it became the center of community work in Berlin.
