Three villas in Dresden
The Story of a Family from the German Empire to the Second World War
This book explores the intertwined stories of three villas in Dresden and their inhabitants from 1871 to 1939. Owned by two generations of a wealthy German-Jewish family dedicated to their city, the narratives of these villas and their residents faded from collective memory after 1945. However, post-1990, following Germany's reunification, their histories began to resurface through research. Aimed at a general audience, the book reveals how the two surviving villas represent the authentic remnants of upper-middle-class Jewish life in Dresden. It delves into themes of architecture, culture, identity, and religion, highlighting family ties, loyalty, and the lifestyle of the upper-middle classes, alongside concepts of justice, honour, and duty. The narratives also address the darker aspects of marginalization, terror, expulsion, and loss, while celebrating resilience and the enduring qualities of empathy and humour. These traits were maintained by family members who, after fleeing Nazi Germany, embraced their new lives as committed global citizens.
