Danish Jewish Museum

Daniel Libeskind

Copenhagen, Proviantpassagen 6

2004

Jewish Museum

With every citytrip I look at the museums that can be visited in the city. During the preparations for our trip to Copenhagen my eyes fell on the Jewish Museum. The Jewish Museum from Berlin by Libeskind had left a deep impression, that of Warsaw a little less. When I saw that Libeskind had also participated in this museum, I didn’t hesitate for a moment and I tried to convince my friend to definitely visit this museum. Easier said than done, because the museum is only open for 3 to 5 hours a day in winter. When we wanted to visit the first time, we were sent back outside because the museum closed earlier! The second time we got in.

Mitzvah

The museum is divided into themes: arrivals, views, Mitzvah, traditions and promised countries. After the ticket desk and the cloakroom you first have a small movie theater. Here you see a film about Jews in Denmark and an interview with the architect, Daniel Libeskind, who explains the concept of the museum. I have never seen such a close collaboration with the architect in a museum (or building).

Libeskind explains that he based the design on the concept of Mitzvah, translated in the program booklet as the good deed. Mitzvah is made up of 4 Hebrew letters and these form the basic plan of the museum. You walk in the letters, as it were. The museum is a building in a building in a building. The Libeskind design is an interior design in the old royal boathouse. This boathouse was part of the port complex of King Christiaan IV. In 1622 this king invited the first Jews as traders in Denmark. Christiaan IV is the link between the building and the Danish Jews.

Danish Jews

Jews had been at home in Denmark for 400 years, without much opposition. 7000 Danish Jews made the crossing to Sweden with the help of the Danes in October 1943. As a result, 99% of Danish Jews survived the Holocaust! In addition to this story, the museum also tells the history and art of Jewish culture in Denmark. Many items have been donated by private individuals. The floors and walls of the museum have nowhere a right angle, not only the walls are not vertical, the floors also have a slight slope. This gives you an unpleasant feeling and refers to the experience of someone who has to orientate himself back in an unknown area. The light color of the wood refers to the Northern European context.