Haifa Center for German & European Studies - HCGES

HCGES landed today at a meeting of echofm.online , one of the largest Russian opposition media outlets continuing to broadcast from abroad.

Our reporter fully understands that not all of our followers are interested in such niche events as gatherings of Russian political scientists, literary scholars, stand-up comedians, and various other people who, for very different reasons, have found themselves far from home. Nevertheless, this is where today’s report will be coming from.

On the agenda: conversations about Russia, politics, culture, literature, emigration, and, presumably, how to move forward.

Here, people who have lost their own Kitezh have gathered — but have never quite managed to let it go. Some have left for good; some are still trying to understand what exactly happened and what to do next; and some simply continue arguing about Russia as if it were still in the next room.

And, of course, your humble servant is among them. Because some cities are impossible to leave completely — even if you have long since changed countries, time zones, and sometimes even forgotten where you put your Russian passport.

So, this is where we’ll be reporting from today. Expect plenty of conversations, familiar faces, unexpected encounters, and perhaps a little collective nostalgia for a country that, it seems, each of us once had in our own way.

Every family has a story. Every letter, photograph, diary, or postcard preserves a fragment of the past.

The Archive for German-speaking Jewry in Israel (The Yekkes Archive) at the University of Haifa safeguards the personal histories of German-speaking Jews who rebuilt their lives in Mandatory Palestine and later in Israel after fleeing N**i persecution. Its collections span more than a century, bringing together thousands of documents that illuminate everyday life, migration, resilience, and community.

Today, the archive is entering a new chapter. Integrated into the Haifa Center for German and European Studies (HCGES), it serves as both a research hub and a living bridge between academia and the Yekkes community. While the collection is currently being reconstructed, much of the archive has already been digitized and is accessible online.

Do you have family letters, photographs, diaries, or other historical materials connected to German-speaking Jewry in Israel? Help preserve this shared heritage by contributing to the archive.

📩 Contact: [email protected]

Together, we can ensure that these voices continue to inspire future generations.

If you're already tired of summer vacation and leisure and want to stay informed about the latest developments in transatlantic politics, here's a great opportunity to do so!
Meet an online discussion from

"The Limits of Ideological Alignment: MAGA, the AfD, and American-German Relations"

📅 Wednesday, August 26, 2026
🕙 10:00–11:00 AM EDT | 4:00–5:00 PM CEST

Speaker: Zsuzsanna Végh (DAAD/AGI Research Fellow, American-German Institute; German Marshall Fund of the United States)

Moderator: Eric Langenbacher (American-German Institute)

This webinar explores how ideological ties and transnational political networks are reshaping American-German relations. The discussion will examine:
• The evolving relationship between the MAGA movement and Germany's AfD
• The interaction between ideological alignment and traditional diplomacy
• Whether the recent cooling of MAGA–AfD relations signals a temporary adjustment or the limits of transatlantic far-right cooperation
• What these developments mean for the future of U.S.-German relations

📍 The event will take place via Zoom. Registration link is in comment

🦈 What can a drop of shark blood tell us about the health of our oceans?

A new study from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea explored the presence of essential, toxic, and emerging contaminants—including rare earth elements (REEs)—in the blood of two shark species: the dusky shark (*Carcharhinus obscurus*) and the sandbar shark (*Carcharhinus plumbeus*).

Using advanced ICP-MS analysis, researchers identified distinct elemental profiles between the two species and detected a wide range of elements, including technology-critical rare earth elements. The study found broadly similar REE patterns in both species, while also revealing differences linked to species characteristics and population structure.

🌊 Why does this matter?

Traditional contaminant monitoring often relies on invasive sampling. This research demonstrates that whole-blood analysis can provide valuable environmental information through a minimally invasive approach, helping scientists monitor pollution exposure in threatened marine predators without causing significant harm.

📊 The findings offer important baseline data for future ecotoxicological research and long-term monitoring of vulnerable coastal ecosystems.

Protecting ocean biodiversity starts with understanding the hidden pressures marine wildlife faces—and innovative, non-lethal research methods are helping us do just that.

🎓 University of Haifa students — this is your chance to make a real difference!

Are you passionate about helping others succeed? Do you enjoy leading, mentoring, and creating positive change in the student community?

The Accessibility and Learning Disabilities Unit at the Dean of Students Office is looking for outstanding students to join the **Academic Mentoring Project** as coordinators for the upcoming academic year.

✨ Gain valuable leadership experience
✨ Support fellow students on their academic journey
✨ Be part of a meaningful project that helps students reach their full potential

If you're motivated, responsible, and eager to contribute to student success, we'd love to hear from you!

📌 Learn more and apply through the registration link in comments.

Let's build a stronger and more supportive student community together! 💙

New Blog Post: A Journey to Palestine: The 1938 Diary of Albert Goetz

In June 1938, Albert Goetz opened his diary to preserve the memories of a journey that had been years in the making: his first visit to his children and grandchildren in Mandatory Palestine after their departure from Berlin.

Through Albert’s detailed account, we follow a deeply personal story of family reunion, migration, resilience, and the uncertain reality of Jewish life under N**i Germany. His diary captures moments of joy, embracing his sons and daugther after four years apart and meeting his grandchildren for the first time, alongside the hardships his family faced as they rebuilt their lives in Palestine.

Written by Chimeziem Ezebuilo under the guidance of Dr. Irit Chen as part of the M.A. course “The Historian and the Archive” at the Haifa Center for German and European Studies, University of Haifa, this blog post explores how one family’s story reveals the larger experiences of displacement, memory, and survival.

Read the full story of Albert Goetz’s journey, his family, and the diary that preserved their memories. Find the link in a comment

Find below the cultural Kaleidoscope from our friends from Austrian Cultural Forum,
from theatre and music to film, architecture, and inspiring exhibitions – discover a vibrant selection of cultural events taking place across Israel this August and beyond.

✨ Highlights include:
🎭 Countdown by Peter Turrini – a powerful psychological drama starring Doron Tavori (3 August, Tel Aviv).

🏛️ Landscapes – an architectural pop-up exhibition by Austrian-Israeli architect Daniel Strassburger, exploring the relationship between landscape and design (until 9 September, Tel Aviv).

🎷 Jaffa Jazz Festival – celebrating its 11th edition with a special Beatles tribute featuring Austrian guitarist John Arman (3–5 September, Tel Aviv).

🎻 Sounding Jerusalem – marking 20 years of musical dialogue with performances by Austrian musicians Erich Oskar Huetter and Armin Egger in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv (4–6 August).

📚 The Post-Office Girl – Stefan Zweig's acclaimed novel comes to the stage at Habima National Theatre in a new adaptation by Hanan Snir (7–10 August, Tel Aviv).

🎬 Sleeping with a Tiger – an award-winning hybrid film about Austrian painter Maria Lassnig, screening at the Haifa Cinematheque (26 August).

🖼️ Explore two remarkable exhibitions featuring Austrian artists and photographers:
• Vision of the New Bones: Jewish Imaginations after 1940 (until 28 November, Tel Aviv Museum of Art)
• 20&20: A Lens of Her Own (until January 2027, ANU – Museum of the Jewish People).

Whether you're passionate about theatre, visual arts, music, architecture, or cinema, KALEIDOSCOPE offers something to inspire every cultural explorer.

Rudi Lehmann and Hedwig Grossman were two German-Jewish artists who immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in the 1930s following the rise of the N**i regime to power. Both played a significant role in shaping the cultural and artistic life of Mandatory Palestine and, later, of Israel.

Their story is, first and foremost, a personal one – a story of creativity, human connections, and a cultural world shaped by life experiences, memories, and encounters. At the same time, it is part of a broader story of German-speaking Jewish immigrants, who brought with them traditions, knowledge, languages, and cultural legacies that continued to influence the development of Israeli art and culture.

The exhibition invites visitors to explore the relationships, life experiences, and sources of inspiration that shaped artistic creation, through artworks and archival materials that offer an intimate glimpse into the lives of the artists and the human networks in which they worked.

We are especially pleased that materials from the Rudi Lehmann and Hedwig Grossman Collection, preserved in the Archive for German-Speaking Jewry in Israel (Yekkes Archive), are presented in the exhibition and shared with a wider audience – continuing their journey from the archive, through preservation and research, into the realm of exhibition and contemporary cultural discourse.

The exhibition is the product of a collaboration between the Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery and the Ziffer House Archive: Documentation and Research Center of Israeli Visual Arts.

Curated by Hila Cooper, Director of Ziffer House Archive and Roni Kochavi, Assistant Curator of TAU Art Gallery

Curatorial Guidance: Dr. Tamar Mayer, Head Curator of TAU Art Gallery

TAU Gallery Director: Dana Golan Miller

Research Assistant: Liron Cohen

Installation image from the exhibition Something To Hold On To, TAU Art Gallery, 2026. Credit: Daniel Hanoch



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shimon
@ dngolan
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A Year in Tübingen: New Impressions from our student Daria

What makes a student choose Germany?
What changes when an exchange destination starts to feel like home?
And how does studying in Russia, Israel, and Germany shape one's perspective on higher education?

In our newest interview, HCGES student Daria reflects on her academic journey at the University of Tübingen, sharing how her exchange experience evolved, what surprised her most about life in Germany, and why international study has inspired her future academic plans.

From discovering the rhythm of life in Tübingen across all four seasons to singing in an international choir and comparing three different university systems, her story offers a thoughtful and personal perspective on studying abroad.

📖 Read the full interview on our website. Find the link in a comment.