Since 1997 the »Löwenbrunnen« (Lion's well) in front of the former site of the Jewish school »Jawne« remembers 1,100 murdered children und youth from Cologne, but also the rescue of 130 Jewish children organized by Erich Klibansky. Ten years later the »Lern- und Gedenkort Jawne« (Place of Learning and Remembrance Jawne) at the Erich-Klibansky-Platz was opened.
Cologne, 1939, Erich Klibansky at the departure of one of the »Kindertransports« organized by him, Lern- und Gedenkort Jawne
Cologne, 2016, Löwenbrunnen (Lion's fountain), Christian Herrmann
The Jewish history of Cologne can be traced back to Roman times. At the beginning of the 20th century the Jewish community of Cologne with its 8,000 members was the fifth largest in Germany. This made Cologne the centre of Jewish life in the Rhineland. The majority of Jews belonged to the liberal denomination. The St.-Apern-Straße in the old town was one of the centres of Jewish life in Cologne. Many stores, particularly antique shops were located there. In 1884 the synagogue of the orthodox congregation »Adass Yeshurun« was inaugurated there. In 1919 the Jawne, first and up to this day only Jewish grammar school in Cologne, was opened in the St.-Apern-Straße as well. In 1929 Erich Klibansky (1900–1942) took up his position as director. By this time 149 pupils visited the school. After the National Socialists took power Jewish pupils were more and more forced out from state schools with the result that many of them changed to the Jawne. In 1937 the total number of students peaked at 423.
Because of the growing pressure on Jews to leave Germany Klibansky decided to prepare his students for immigration, reinforcing language lessons. After the pogroms of November 1938 Klibansky decided to transfer the entire school to England. The next year he organized the departure of 130 children in the context of the »Kindertransports« (Refugee Children's Movement) to England, escorting them himself.
In 1942 the Jawne was closed down permanently. Only few weeks later Erich Klibansky, his wife, their three sons and approximately 100 Jawne pupils were deported to Minsk. All in all with the transport »Da 219« the SS deported 1,164 children, women and men from Cologne and surroundings. After their arrival four days later they were taken to the extermination site of Maly Trostenets on trucks and shot there or killed in gas vans.
Because of the growing pressure on Jews to leave Germany Klibansky decided to prepare his students for immigration, reinforcing language lessons. After the pogroms of November 1938 Klibansky decided to transfer the entire school to England. The next year he organized the departure of 130 children in the context of the »Kindertransports« (Refugee Children's Movement) to England, escorting them himself.
In 1942 the Jawne was closed down permanently. Only few weeks later Erich Klibansky, his wife, their three sons and approximately 100 Jawne pupils were deported to Minsk. All in all with the transport »Da 219« the SS deported 1,164 children, women and men from Cologne and surroundings. After their arrival four days later they were taken to the extermination site of Maly Trostenets on trucks and shot there or killed in gas vans.
Cologne, 1939, Erich Klibansky at the departure of one of the »Kindertransports« organized by him, Lern- und Gedenkort Jawne
Cologne, 2016, Löwenbrunnen (Lion's fountain), Christian Herrmann
1,164 Jews from Cologne and surroundings, among them about 100 students from the Jawne, were deported from the Cologne-Deutz station to Minsk on July 20, 1942 and killed there four days later.
All in all the National Socialists murdered approximately 11,000 of the 19,500 Jews who lived in Cologne prior to the Second World War.
All in all the National Socialists murdered approximately 11,000 of the 19,500 Jews who lived in Cologne prior to the Second World War.
Cologne, 1939, Students of the Jawne on their departure to England, Lern- und Gedenkort Jawne
Cologne, 2016, Plaque on the side of the Löwenbrunnen (Lion's fountain) with the names of murdered Cologne Jews, Christian Herrmann
Together with large parts of the old town, the building of the Jawne was destroyed during air raids in the Second World War. The orthodox synagogue was heavily damaged and demolished in 1958. New buildings arose on its former site. For a long time nothing remembered the once thriving Jewish life in the St.-Apern-Straße. In 1990 a small square on the former site of the Jawne was named after Erich Klibansky. In 1997 the Löwenbrunnen (Lion's fountain) was dedicated. It was designed by Hermann Gurfinkel (1926–2004), one of the children rescued by Klibansky.
In 2007, the »Place of Learning and Remembrance Jawne« was opened in the building behind the fountain. Its origins date back to an initiative by the couple Dieter (1925–1995) and Irene Corbach (1937–2005), who campaigned for decades to research Jewish traces in Cologne. The memorial site which is also supported by the Cologne »EL-DE-Haus« depicts the living conditions of former students of the Jawne and at the same time is a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. The memorial place maintains contact with former students of the Jawne all over the world.
In 2007, the »Place of Learning and Remembrance Jawne« was opened in the building behind the fountain. Its origins date back to an initiative by the couple Dieter (1925–1995) and Irene Corbach (1937–2005), who campaigned for decades to research Jewish traces in Cologne. The memorial site which is also supported by the Cologne »EL-DE-Haus« depicts the living conditions of former students of the Jawne and at the same time is a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. The memorial place maintains contact with former students of the Jawne all over the world.
Cologne, 2016, Street sign at the Klibansky-Platz, Christian Herrmann
Cologne, 2016, The »Lion of Juda« at the Löwenbrunnen (Lion's fountain), Christian Herrmann
- Name
- Erich-Klibansky-Platz / Lern- und Gedenkort Jawne
- Address
-
Erich-Klibansky-Platz
50667 Köln - Phone
- +49 (0)175 22 11 620
- Web
- http://www.jawne.de
- info@jawne.de
- Open
- Tuesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
By arrangement - Possibilities
- Guided tours by appointment, even outside of opening hours. There is a public guided tour »Around the schoolyard of the Jawne« on every first Sunday each month. (Admission free)