The German Federal Government and the Goethe Institute sponsored a weeklong seminar in Berlin and Dresden the week of Monday, October 20. Mr. Masters was invited to attend, along with eight delegates from the United States. The group included Grammy winners, board members of the Holocaust museums in Washington and Los Angeles, the Jewish telegraph Agency’s senior reporter, the Middle Eastern affairs analyst for the Anti-Defamation League, regional presidents from two different chapters of the American Jewish Congress. During a very busy week, the delegates explored the topic of “Jewish Life in Germany – Past, Present and Future”, looking at the various dimensions of the history of the Holocaust, as well as current trends in anti-Semitism in Germany and Europe. We were able to visit many sites of historical interest in Germany, including important Jewish sites in and around Berlin, notably the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. We also met with many members of the German government, as well as media and NGO representatives, including a young Israeli artist who has relocated to Berlin. We were able to witness firsthand the ways in which Germany is confronting its history, and we observed as well that this is not an easy transition, and is in fact ongoing.
