Things to do in Berlin that involve classical music and Jewish history

August 16, 2016 7:41 AM

I'll be in Berlin for 10 days in October

I am so excited to visit Berlin!! But I don't have time to do a lot of research before this trip and it's coming up soon.

Looking for recommendations on places to visit in or near Berlin that involve:

--the history of Classical music and German composers (museums / churches / houses where they lived if any of them lived there . . . )

-- the history of the Jewish community in Berlin or Jewish museums


Thanks!

posted by winterportage to Travel & Transportation around Berlin, Germany (14 answers total)

Best answer: The Jewish Museum in Berlin is a must-see. Also, you could do an overnight trip to Warsaw to see the new Museum of the Jews in Poland.
posted by mdonley at 8:00 AM on August 16, 2016

The Mendelssohn-Remise in Jägerstraße should be relevant to both these interests.
posted by misteraitch at 8:02 AM on August 16, 2016

Best answer: Definitely the Jewish Museum. One of my all-time favorite museums.
posted by triggerfinger at 9:52 AM on August 16, 2016

Best answer: Jewish Museum
Jewish cemetery in Weissensee - large, lovely crumbly pre-war cemetery
Holocaust memorial ("Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe")

Stolpersteine - These are little brass plaques set in the ground in front of buildings where deported Jews lived, engraved with their names. There are hundreds throughout Berlin, keep an eye out for them while you're wandering the city.

Berlin Musical Instrument Museum
posted by exquisite_deluxe at 11:13 AM on August 16, 2016

Nthing Jewish Museum. Not sure about the cemetery, I find it kind of weird when people go there to sight-see. (My grandfather is buried there. You might also see some of his belongings at the Jewish Museum depending on what they're exhibiting right now.)
There is a former concentration camp close to Berlin, Sachsenhausen. Go at your own risk.

I don't know if you are Jewish or not, but just a word of caution: You might want to be careful any item of clothing or similar that identifies you as Jewish. Some Jews in Berlin are expressing fear for their safety these days. Violent crime is rare, but better safe than sorry.

If you can, go to a concert. The Berliner Philharmoniker are really good.
posted by LoonyLovegood at 12:23 PM on August 16, 2016

The memorial to the burned books in front of the Humboldt University School of Law. There are small memorials all over Berlin. One particularly compelling one is near Humboldt's main library and is a memorial to the Jews who left by train.

There is a wonderful Jewish community library and you can often tour synagogues there if you ask in advance. The one on Orianenburgerstrasse is beautiful. Do expect the police and a metal detector walk through at any Jewish site.

I thought the visit to Sachsenhausen was worth it; especially walking from the train station (which is the same train station) and having that experience. But it is incredibly depressing and you'll want to keep that in mind.
posted by eleanna at 1:23 PM on August 16, 2016

I enjoyed going to the Musikinstrumenten-Museum (Museum of Musical Instruments) on a trip to Berlin some years back...
posted by lgandme0717 at 1:46 PM on August 16, 2016

It's 1 hour and 16 minutes away by fast train, so I don't know whether it counts as near, but Leipzig has lots of Bach-related stuff, including the church where Bach was Cantor for many years and a Bach Museum. Leipzig also has the Mendelssohn House.

As a bonus, Leipzig is also just interesting to visit in any event.
posted by sueinnyc at 5:02 PM on August 16, 2016 [2 favorites]

Best answer: The Konzerthaus has some cool concert formats you might be interested in, and the Philharmoniker is great.

You might also want to head down to Grunewald to see Gleisdreieck 17, an quiet memorial to the train tracks where many Jews were deported. I also really like the memorial about the burned books outside the HU Law School, and the synagogue on Oranienbergerstr. is very beautiful.

+1 to Leipzig for music history. Double-check this, but I think every Saturday they perform a Bach cantata on the week that he originally wrote it for in the church he originally wrote it for. So cool!
posted by athirstforsalt at 10:52 PM on August 16, 2016 [1 favorite]

There's a classical music space called Radialsystem V which has a very eclectic program. There's modern classical, older traditional pieces, and dance. I've always been impressed with them.

Seconding the recommendation for the Konzerthaus. It is really good and easier to get tickets to than the philharmonic. Often there are same-day tickets still available.
posted by cotterpin at 2:07 AM on August 17, 2016

Keep and eye on the schedule for the Klezmer Jam sessions in Neukolln. https://www.facebook.com/klezmersessionsneukolln/?fref=ts
posted by zaelic at 4:16 AM on August 17, 2016

On Tuesday's the Berliner Philharmoniker do free lunch time classical concerts,. They also do paid concerts too, of course.
posted by rubyrudy at 11:20 AM on August 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

Ha-- sorry, Gleis 17. Not Gleisdreieck, which is my local park and so a Freudian slip (but hang out in Gleisdreieck, too, it's great).
posted by athirstforsalt at 12:24 AM on August 18, 2016

Response by poster: Thanks for the recommendations! just got back on Tuesday.

I LOVED the Jewish museum. . ended up visiting it twice and spending about 10 hours in there!

Also got to see the Holocaust memorial (truly chilling) and went to see Cosi Fan Tutti at the Konzerthaus.

You guys are the best!
posted by winterportage at 9:01 AM on October 16, 2016