Joachimstrasse 20: Slide projections of former Jewish residents, theatre, and Torah reading room, 1929-31, Berlin 1992

Shimon Attie created this photograph as part of his project "Joachimstrasse 20" which layers history and memory. The work involves projecting images of former Jewish residents onto the buildings they once inhabited in Berlin, between 1929 and 1931. Attie’s work confronts the erasure of Jewish lives during the Holocaust by making visible those who were systematically disappeared. The ghostly projections evoke a powerful sense of presence and absence, challenging viewers to confront the complexities of memory and history. This method reclaims public spaces, filling them with the stories of individuals whose identities and cultural contributions were deliberately annihilated. The choice of projecting images of a theatre and Torah reading room underscores the vibrant cultural and religious life that once thrived in this neighborhood. The image is haunting in its quietude, yet deeply resonant in its implications. It prompts reflection on the interweaving of personal stories within larger historical narratives of displacement, loss, and resilience.