Berlin
The past and present of a former Jewish girls' school
One of the last buildings constructed by the Jewish community in Berlin before the National Socialists came to power, the former school for girls in Auguststrasse was built between 1927/28 and inaugurated in 1930. It was closed by the Nazis in 1942, having already served a site for deportations.
Re-opened during the post-war, GDR era, the school eventually again closed its doors due to a lack of pupils.
Despite the building's recent conversion into a 'destination' location for blue-chip art galleries and a couple of swanky eateries, much of the original interior remains intact, including bold mosaic tiling and an airy, streamlined central staircase.
Fortunately, it's still possible to gain a real sense of the building's historical significance - both as an imposing work of architecture and a site of chequered history.
Former Jewish Girls' School (Ehemalige Jüdische Mädchenschule): Auguststraße 11-13, 10117 Berlin