Mendelssohn-Remise

The Mendelssohn-Remise, located at number 51 Jägerstraße in the heart of Berlin, represents a significant monument to the history of one of the city’s most influential families, the Mendelssohns. This building, originally a carriage house and part of the larger banking complex of the family, now houses a permanent exhibition celebrating the extraordinary achievements and cultural legacy of the Mendelssohn family. The history of the Mendelssohn-Remise is closely intertwined with that of the Mendelssohn family, a dynasty of bankers, intellectuals, and artists of Jewish origin. Moses Mendelssohn, the patriarch, was a prominent Enlightenment philosopher, and his descendants continued to profoundly influence the cultural and economic life of Berlin. Moses’ sons, Joseph and Abraham, founded the Mendelssohn & Co. bank in 1795, which soon became the largest private bank in Berlin, a symbol of modernity and financial success. The relocation of the bank’s headquarters to Jägerstraße 51 took place in 1815, positioning it between the two main Prussian state banks. The area, known as Gleisdreieck, quickly became the hub of the family’s financial activities. The building of the Mendelssohn-Remise was constructed in the 1890s, initially as a lavish accounting hall with brick vaults and granite columns. However, it was soon converted into a carriage house for the family’s carriages, reflecting the growing opulence and mobility of the dynasty. The carriages were used for trips to the family’s villas in Grunewald and Börnicke, where the tradition of home concerts, started with friends like Clara Schumann and Joseph Joachim, continued to thrive. The Mendelssohn family was not only famous for their banking activities but also for their artistic patronage and charitable works. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Mendelssohns were extraordinary supporters of the arts, founding numerous cultural and social institutions. However, the history of the bank and the family suffered a sharp interruption with the advent of the Nazi regime. In 1938, the bank was liquidated by the regime and the building confiscated. The Second World War and the subsequent period saw the building undergo further changes: during the DDR, the carriage house was used as a garage and car workshop. With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the subsequent German reunification, the Mendelssohn-Remise began a restoration process to bring the building back to its former glory. In 2004, as part of the Jewish Culture Days, the carriage house was reopened to the public, hosting a permanent exhibition dedicated to the history of the Mendelssohn family. The exhibition, titled “The Mendelssohns in Jägerstraße,” offers visitors a fascinating journey through the family’s history, from their origins to the traumatic events of the 20th century. Inside the Mendelssohn-Remise, visitors can explore a series of multimedia installations that tell the personal and professional stories of the family members. Testimonies from descendants, along with musical compositions by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and his sister Fanny Hensel, resonate in the rooms, keeping alive the rich cultural tradition of the family. Among the most significant artifacts on display are family portraits, artworks, and historical documents that illustrate the family’s contribution to Berlin’s cultural life. The surrounding park and the building’s architecture itself provide tangible evidence of the city’s resilience and capacity for renewal. The Mendelssohn-Remise is not just a place of memory but also a vibrant cultural center. It regularly hosts events, concerts, readings, and discussions, continuing the tradition of cultural dialogue that the Mendelssohn family started centuries ago.