Photographs by Rafael Herlich on display at the Protestant and Catholic university communities on Goethe University’s Westend Campus
From January 15 to 31, 2025, the Protestant Student Congregation (Evangelische Studierendengemeinde, ESG) and the Catholic University Community (Katholische Hochschulgemeinde, KHG) will be showing an extraordinary photography exhibition by Frankfurt photographer Rafael Herlich on Goethe University’s Westend Campus. The exhibition spotlights Frankfurt as a city of religious diversity, with a particular focus on contemporary Jewish life as a natural part of this diversity.
Herlich’s photographs offer an impressive look at the various facets of Jewish life and its historical and cultural significance in Germany. The exhibition seeks to make an important contribution to interfaith dialog and the fight against anti-Semitism, to which the Christian university communities in Frankfurt are committed. The photographs represent the stories of people who show their faces and stand up for social cohesion.
“Our university’s communities and congregations stand for a democratic, respectful and equal coexistence of all faiths. The exhibition gives students and university members, as well as any other interested parties the opportunity to discover and reflect on contemporary Jewish life in all its diversity,” the university communities emphasize in their statement. The exhibition’s official opening ceremony will take place on January 22, 2025 at 6.30 pm in the rooms of the Catholic University Community (KHG) and the Protestant Student Congregation (ESG). On this evening, visitors will also have the opportunity to talk to photographer Rafael Herlich about his work and the significance of the exhibition.
In addition, on January 27, 2025 at 5 p.m., a memorial service will take place in the Haus der Stille on Westend Campus to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz 80 years ago. The event is co-organized by Rafael Herlich and will further emphasize the need for a living culture of remembrance. Frankfurt musician Roman Kuperschmidt will provide the musical backdrop.
The exhibition’s opening hours will be announced in mid-January at www.esg-frankfurt.de and www.khg-frankfurt.de.
The project is kindly supported by Frankfurt’s Council of Religions (Rat der Religionen Frankfurt) and Catholic Adult Education Frankfurt (Katholische Erwachsenenbildung Frankfurt).
Contact:
Ilona Klemens, University Chaplain, Protestant Student Congregation (Evangelische Studierendengemeinde, ESG) Frankfurt.
klemens@esg-frankfurt.de; www.esg-frankfurt.de
Christina Schlösser, Catholic University Community (Katholische Hochschulgemeinde, KHG) Frankfurt. schloesser@khg-frankfurt.de; www.khg-frankfurt.de
