"Chronicle of the Mohrenstraße, from the 18th century to the present: its exciting journey"
In the heart of Berlin, change is afoot as the city moves to rename two streets, each with a complex historical background. The Mohrenstraße in Berlin-Mitte and the Treitschkestraße in Steglitz-Zehlendorf are set to bear new names, honouring two remarkable individuals who made significant contributions to their respective fields.
The Mohrenstraße, which forms a section of the Gendarmenmarkt and ends at the U-Bahn line 2 station, will now be named after Anton Wilhelm Amo. Born around 1703 in present-day Ghana, Amo was the first known philosopher and jurist of African origin at German universities. After studying at several prestigious institutions, including Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), and Jena, Amo advocated for the rights of people of African origin during the Age of Enlightenment. He even gave courses on astrology and cryptography in Jena. However, after 300 years and a dispute lasting decades, the Berlin district of Mitte has finally decided to rename the street in Amo's honour.
Meanwhile, the Treitschkestraße in Steglitz-Zehlendorf will be renamed Betty-Katz-Straße. Betty Katz, the former director of the Jewish Blind Home in Wrangelstraße, made a significant contribution to Jewish life in Berlin. However, her life was tragically cut short during the Holocaust, with her deportation leading to her death on June 6, 1944, in the Theresienstadt ghetto. The district office of Steglitz-Zehlendorf is renaming the Treitschkestraße to honour Katz and break with the previous name, which was named after historian Heinrich von Treitschke. Known for his antisemitic stance and writings, including the sentence "The Jews are our misfortune," Treitschke's views are considered precursors to modern political antisemitism.
The handling of historical street names and seemingly historically burdened namesakes remains a highly complex issue. In the past, information signs were installed, and the adjacent square was renamed Harry-Bresslau-Park in Berlin-Mitte, after a Jewish historian who publicly opposed Treitschke's positions. Similarly, initial demands for a renaming of the Treitschkestraße were made in 2000 by civil society circles, but failed to gain political majority at the time.
However, in recent years, most residents have opposed the renaming of the Mohrenstraße and the Treitschkestraße. Yet, the legal dispute over the renaming of Mohrenstraße in Berlin-Mitte was led primarily by a small group of residents of Mohrenstraße who filed lawsuits against the change, seeking to prevent the renaming. The district of Mitte also engaged in legal proceedings defending the renaming, with the ultimate decision upheld by the Oberverwaltungsgericht Berlin-Brandenburg.
As Berlin moves forward, these renamings serve as a reminder of the city's rich and complex history, as well as its ongoing efforts to confront and learn from the past.
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