Jewish Cemeteries in Germany (01:31)
FREE PREVIEW
Architect Daniel Libeskind built the Jewish Museum in Berlin from1993-1998. Libeskind was impressed by abandoned cemeteries with crypts.
Jewish Museum Location (01:56)
Only a Baroque building remained from the bombed out center of Berlin. Libeskind discusses the location of the museum and magnitude of the endeavor.
Nicknamed "Lightning" (01:31)
Inspired by Schoenberg's unfinished opera "Moses und Aron," Libeskind titled his proposal "Between the Lines." Broken lines of the structure and facades reiterate discontinuity.
Interconnected Buildings and Histories (02:15)
Hidden in the trees, the museum is hardly visible from the road. Seemingly separate, the museum entrance is inside its Baroque neighbor, intertwined by passageways.
Axes of German Judaism (04:01)
From the concrete tower, three intersecting corridors represent three paths: continuity, exile and death. Only the axis of continuity rises through a narrow staircase to the museum.
Closed Off Paths (04:47)
The paths to exile and death lead to exhibition areas of photos and drawings. A black door leads to the Tower of the Holocaust. The path of exile leads to the disorienting Garden of Exile.
Museum Facade (03:25)
The concrete towers and pillars are distinct from the zinc-covered main building. Gashes cut the facade for oddly shaped windows. In 1999, the empty museum opened to visitors.
Re-Inauguration (01:17)
In September 2001, the museum was officially re-inaugurated with over 4,000 objects witnessing Jewish presence in Germany.
Museum Voids (02:32)
Concrete towers intersect the building, creating voids within the structure. A line of skylights across the zigzagged structure is the only evidence of the internal towers.
Void of Memory (02:16)
The Void of Memory is the only one accessible to the public; old metal audio and video reels cover the floor.
Credits: The Jewish Museum Berlin: Architectures—Achievements in Modern Architecture (01:01)
Credits: The Jewish Museum Berlin: Architectures—Achievements in Modern Architecture
For additional digital leasing and purchase options contact a media consultant at 800-257-5126
(press option 3) or sales@films.com.