In 321, Emperor Constantine issued an edict that also obliged Jews to hold office in the city council of Cologne. Today, this is considered the earliest evidence of the existence of Jewish life north of the Alps. In 2021, we therefore celebrated 1700 years of Jewish life in Germany nationwide.
The MiQua. LVR Jewish Museum in the Cologne Archaeological Quarter has taken this festive year as an opportunity to trace the traces of Jewish life in Germany with a poster exhibition and to illuminate them in a variety of ways.
The exhibition creates opportunities to learn and tell stories, also to counteract prejudices that promote anti-Semitism and distance. 16 roll-ups focus on significant low and high points in 1700 years of German-Jewish history. QR codes are also attached to the roll-ups, which link to various online offers from MiQua.
The poster exhibition and its content are an ideal starting point for schools, but also for a general, interested audience to learn more about the history and present of Jews in Germany. Often based on biographical stories, the perspective is extended to the whole of Germany. The focus is on everyday history; milestones in history and politics are illustrated with their consequences through the stories of specific people.
The QR codes in the poster exhibition can be used to take a virtual tour of the more detailed exhibition. This also offers numerous other didactic possibilities.