‘A Foreign Homeland’. German-Jewish Exile: Then and Now

From the trope of the Wandering Jew to the shattered dreams of a German-Jewish symbiosis and on to the violent present, the discussion explores the question of whether flight and migration can mean arrival—even if it is an arrival in a foreign homeland.

Panelists:

• In her literary work, Dr. Ursula Krechel addresses the themes of persecution, flight, and exile in both history and the present, as in her latest book, *Vom Herzasthma des Exils*. The text calls for a shift in perspective and profound respect for those who (must and had to) leave their homeland. In 2025, she received the Georg Büchner Prize.

• Prof. Dr. Michael Brenner is the International President of the Leo Baeck Institute. He conducts research and publishes on topics of German-Jewish history and culture, most recently in his book “Der lange Schatten der Revolution” (The Long Shadow of the Revolution). Michael Brenner is a professor at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich and at American University in Washington, D.C.

• Dr. Sebastian Schirrmeister is a literary scholar. His research focuses on German-language exile literature, German-Hebrew literary relations, and German-Jewish archives, among other topics. He is the author of “Das Gastspiel” (2012) and “Begegnung auf fremder Erde” (2019), as well as numerous scholarly essays.

• Moderator: Natascha Freundel is a journalist specializing in German-Jewish history. She is the editor and host of the podcast and radio debate “Der zweite Gedanke” on radio3 (rbb).

Opening remarks by Ms. Julia Friedrich, Director of Collections and Exhibitions at the Jewish Museum Berlin.

Starting at 8:30 p.m., the Friends of the Leo Baeck Institute invite you to a small reception

The event takes place in cooperation with radio3, where the recording will be available on June 11, 2026, at 7:03 p.m. and on June 13, 2026, at 1:03 p.m., as well as on the podcast “Der zweite Gedanke” (available on the ARD Sounds App, among other platforms).

• Date: June 10
• Time: 7:00 p.m.
• Location: W. M. Blumenthal Academy, Fromet-und-Moses-Mendelssohn-Platz 10969 Berlin – Mitte