But no summer walk is innocent of history. In summer as in winter this sign consumes me. In translation: "Jews are not permitted to leave their flats after 8pm (9pm in the summer)."

It's one in the public art series installed by Renata Stih and Frieder Schnock, ably reported on by Ian Johnson here, which bears witness to the minor and major ways in which Berlin's Jews were forced out of daily life from 1933.

 

Comments

[annton]

thank you you for posting this, as I didn't know about the series. it gives me a lump in my throat and brings things very clearly into perspective.

[Giulia Pines]

I already knew these signs were lurking when I moved here, but that hardly dulled the shock of finally being confronted with them on my every neighborhood walk. I just kept on finding more. Perhaps Berlin's most powerful memorial...and one hardly given enough credit.

[Matt Maldre]

Whoa. What an intense piece of public art. I'm also a public spaces artist who wants to create work that has impact and makes people think. Your work here is amazing.