Veranstaltungen Detailseite 1

Memorial Signs for Semaya and Julius Davidsohn,
Widenmeyerstraße 45

Veranstaltung

Dots

The couple Semaya and Julius Davidsohn lived in the house in Widenmeyerstrasse from 1920, and Semaya's deaf brother Ludwig Hirsch lived with them from 1932. During ‘Kristallnacht’, the Gestapo abducted Julius Davidsohn to Dachau concentration camp. A few days after his release, the Gestapo were at their door again and robbed the Davidsohn couple of their art objects on the basis of a meticulously compiled list. They had to give up their flat in 1939 and from then on lived in cramped conditions at various addresses in Munich. In 1942, they were deported to the Theresienstadt ghetto. Due to the inhumane conditions there, Julius Davidsohn and Ludwig Hirsch died after a few weeks, Semaya Davidsohn died in April 1943.

In 2019, the Bavarian State Painting Collections, the Bavarian State Painting Collections, the Bavarian National Museum and the Munich State Collection of Prints and Drawings restituted artefacts belonging to the Davidsohn couple to their heirs.

On Thursday, 22 September 2022, a memorial service for Semaya and Julius Davidsohn was held at their former home in Widenmeyerstrasse. The event was opened by City Councillor Winfried Kaum, representing the Lord Mayor of the City of Munich, followed by Dr h.c. Charlotte Knobloch, President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria. Dr Frank Matthias Kammel, Director General of the Bavarian National Museum and Dr Andrea Bambi, Head of Provenance Research and Export of Cultural Property at the Bavarian State Painting Collections and initiator of the Memorial Signs, described the restitution of the art objects to the heirs of the Davidsohn couple. Hardy Langer spoke on behalf of the relatives, followed by speeches by Andrea Stadler-Bachmaier from the Altstadt-Lehel district committee, and Rabbi Shmuel Aharon Brodman. The Memorial Signs for Julius and Semaya Davidsohn were then placed.

Thursday, 22 September 2022
4.00 pm
Installation of the Memorial Sign for Semaya and Julius Davidsohn at their former place of residence at Widenmayerstraße 45

  • City Councillor Winfried Kaum on behalf of the Lord Mayor of the City of Munich
  • Dr h.c. Charlotte Knobloch, President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria
  • Dr Frank Matthias Kammel, Director General of the Bavarian National Museum
  • Dr. Andrea Bambi,Head of Provenance Research and Export of Cultural Property of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and initiator of the Memorial Signs
  • Hardy Langer for the relatives of Semaya and Julius Davidsohn
  • Rabbi Shmuel Aharon Brodman
  • Andrea Stadler-Bachmaier, District Committee Altstadt-Lehel

    Flyer (PDF)

Dots

Press:

Süddeutsche Zeitung

Tabula Rasa

Images: Tom Hauzenberger

To the biographies