Re: [Cz-L] "Yiddische Gasse"

Miriam (Mimi) Taylor <mirtaylo_at_indiana.edu>

I feel no nostalgia for either the Yiddishe Gasse or the Judengasse.
To me both are derogatory terms associated with Jews having to live
in a ghetto. Where these names have been kept in other European cities, it
is not out of respect, but in order to remind all, that this once was the
most crowded, poorest and shabbiest part of town. Because it was so poor and
considered so shabby, no new buildings were built in these streets and now
they may still be the location, where one can find very old houses. This
makes them attractive to tourists, who crowd into their stores to buy local
souvenirs.

Strada Transilvaniei was so called, not because Transilvanians lived there,
the same with Russischegasse, but the Judengasse was so called, because
initially all Czernowitz Jews lived there. Complaining that it now has a
different name, is as if we complained that we no longer have to wear the
yellow star.

Shavua tov,

Mimi

> David,
> It was Judengasse and so it will stay no matter what they call it now.
> Many towns in Europe have Judengassen:
> In Germany - Frankfurt, Trier, Tubingen ,Worms, Rothenburg, Stuttgart,
> Nordlingen,
> Coburg, Lubben and many more.
> but not only Germany : Vienna ,Salzburg, Cordoba, Sevilla ,London (Old
> Jewry).
> In France over 200 localities have Rue de Juifs.
> In most of them Jews haven't lived there for centuries.
> In most of them the Jews were butchered.
> But the name was not removed . Even in the Nazi era.
> Why wasn't it removed ? Out of respect for the Jews ? Certainly not .
> I don't know , maybe it became part of the landscape.
> Part of their local history.
> In Chernivtsi it is not so.
>
> But for us, the people who know Czernowitz it will always be the
> Judengasse.
> The narrow slanted street with the decaying houses , the heart of
> Jewish Czernowitz.
>
> Hardy
>
-snip-
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Received on 2008-08-30 23:07:13