Reports published by NDR, Deutschlandfunk etc.
Various media outlets are reporting on the 60th anniversary of the Institute for the History of German Jews. A report is featured by the NDR ‘Hamburg damals’ section on the Institute’s unique founding history. With contributions from Dr. Kim Wünschmann, Dr. Björn Siegel and Prof. (emeritus) Dr. Arno Herzig, the programme explains how a dispute over historical sources led to the commission to research the Jewish history of Hamburg. In the aftermath of the Shoah, the question of who had the authority to interpret the documents and where this unique Jewish cultural heritage should be preserved was not the only point of contention. There was also debate over who should head a research institution dedicated exclusively to German-Jewish history.
Dr. Karen Körber, Dr. Anna Menny and Dr. Björn Siegel were interviewed for the ‘Zeitfragen programme on Deutschlandfunk Kultur. They present current research foci at the IGdJ, which are to be presented and discussed at the conference ‘The IGdJ at 60: German-Jewish History in New Contexts’. The focus is primarily on the history of Jewish migration, work using methods from the digital humanities, and contemporary Jewish Studies.
In its edition of 14 May 2026, the Jüdische Allgemeine publishes an interview on the history and mission of the IGdJ with Dr Kim Wünschmann. The interview also discusses the variety of formats developed by the Institute to communicate academic findings, which are designed to enable the general public to engage in an informed discussion of Jewish life, both past and present.
An article linked below, published in the Hamburger Morgenpost on 15 May 2026, discusses the handover of the archives of the Hamburg Jewish communities to the Hamburg State Archives, which took place under pressure of Nazi persecution. The article highlights in particular the roles played by Leo Lippmann and Hans W. Hertz.