The Bayerisches Viertel in Berlin’s Schöneberg district was built between 1895 and 1910 and was shaped by the architect Salomon Haberland, who immortalised his preference for medieval Bavarian architecture in the houses.Many streets are named after Bavarian places, such as Lindauer Allee, Passauer Straße or Augsburger Straße. In total, there are around 30 streets in the district that are named after places from Bavaria.When it was built, the quarter was designed as an upscale residential area and was inhabited by wealthy Berliners. During the Second World War, the quarter was badly damaged by bombing, but was rebuilt in the 1950s.Today, the Bayerisches Viertel is a popular residential area with many restored old buildings and a variety of cafés, restaurants and small shops. It has largely retained its original character and is known for its architectural beauty and historic charm.The Bayerisches Viertel in Berlin has a rich Jewish history. Before the First World War and until the National Socialists came to power in the 1930s, the quarter was a centre of Jewish life in Berlin. Many Jewish citizens, including prominent personalities, lived in the Bayerisches Viertel and made it a cultural and intellectual centre.However, most of the Jewish residents of the quarter were forced to leave in the 1930s due to increasing anti-Semitic discrimination and persecution by the National Socialists. Many of them were later murdered in concentration camps.Today, at Augsburger Straße 11-13, the former home of the Lewin family, a memorial plaque and a memorial commemorate the Jewish history of the Bayerisches Viertel and the persecution and murder of the Jewish residents during National Socialism. The memorial consists of a concrete block that is broken open in the middle and contains a Jewish prayer book that is open. It is meant to commemorate the lost culture and life of the Jewish community in the Bayerisches Viertel.
If you want to find out more about the history of the quarter, you will find it here: Contemporary History Portal “Café Haberland” – Exhibition on the History of the Bayerisches Viertel
Photo credit: www.flickr.com, Oh-Berlin.com, Viktoria Luise Platz