City of Hof shows award-winning documentary about Jewish life in the GDR

200 visitors watch the special screening as part of the 14th German-German Film Festival.

Auf dem Bild sind fünf Personen zu sehen, die in einem Kino stehen, hinter ihnen das Publikum. — Foto (Stadt Hof): Eva Döhla, Oberbürgermeisterin, Anja Linnekugel von der Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, Filmemacherin Esther Zimmering, Johannes Schwarz vom Jüdischen Museum Berlin, Jürgen Stader von der Stadt Hof, Mitorganisator der Deutsch-Deutschen Filmtage

On Friday, November 8, 2024, the seats at the Central-Kino in Hof were filled with almost 200 visitors, including over 130 pupils from various schools in the city. The occasion was a special screening of the film "Komm, wir fliegen übers übers Brandenburger Tor", which took place as part of the German-German Film Festival and was offered free of charge to the public. The city of Hof organized this event in cooperation with the Federal Agency for Civic Education and the Jewish Museum Berlin.

Mayor Eva Döhla welcomed the guests with the words: "It is of great importance that we deal with the different facets of our history. This film offers a valuable insight into Jewish life in the GDR and promotes understanding of our shared past." She also emphasized the importance of such events for educational work and was delighted with the great interest shown by young people from the region, including classes from Hofecker Mittelschule, Fachoberschule, Diakonie am Campus and Jean-Paul and Schiller-Gymnasium.

The documentary film "Come on, let's fly over the Brandenburg Gate" was made by actress and filmmaker Esther Zimmering. In it, Zimmering follows in the footsteps of her Jewish family in the GDR and sheds light on their lives and beliefs from different perspectives. The focus is on the experiences and often contradictory perceptions of the second and third generation of a family that consciously returned to the GDR after the Shoah and supported the establishment of a socialist state.

After the film, the audience had the opportunity to discuss the film's themes in person with Esther Zimmering. The filmmaker was warmly welcomed by the Lord Mayor, as was Anja Linnekugel from the Federal Agency for Civic Education, which conceived and supported the film and the subsequent discussion together with the Jewish Museum Berlin. Johannes Schwarz from the Jewish Museum moderated the event and led the audience through a lively discussion in which the young participants were encouraged to ask questions and learn more about Jewish life and cultural experiences in the GDR.

The 14th German-German Film Days will take place from 15 to 20 November 2024 in Plauen and Hof under the motto "From Division to Unity". The film days offer a diverse program about life and society in Germany and promote exchange on historical and cultural topics. The opening ceremony is planned for November 15 at 3 p.m. in the Central Cinema and then at 7 p.m. in the Capitol Cinema in Plauen. The program includes a variety of documentaries and feature films dealing with recent German history. Admission to all events is free. Further information on the program and venues can be found here.