Negotiated Places: Making Jewish Space in Postwar East Berlin.

HISTORY of German Jews -- 1945-; JEWISH way of life; SOCIAL conditions of Jews; EAST German history; GERMAN history, 1945-; COLLECTIVE memory; SYNAGOGUES

This article examines the murky intersection of everyday life, ideology and historical memory as they informed the experiences of members of the Jewish community in East Berlin after 1945. In particular, it examines the interactions of the East German state and the local Jewish community in three important sites of Jewish life: the synagogue, the café and restaurant, and the kosher butcher. Taking a cue from spatial theories, the article uses space as a tool to reveal the ways in which these locations were perceived by Jews, conceived by non-Jewish authorities and lived in by those who walked through their doors. While the early East German state was complicit in anti-Jewish persecution, by the mid-1950s the local and national governments began supporting Jewish institutions and instrumentalizing them for propagandistic goals during the Cold War. Members of the Jewish community walked a fine line—openly praising the Communist government, yet using opportunities to gather with Jews from the West. Taking a close look at spaces in which Jewish ritual was carried out and celebrated, the article nuances the complex relationship between Jews and the East German authorities, uncovering the complicated intentions on both sides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]