In the courtyard of the White Stork Synagogue, there is a huge chestnut tree. Everybody finds themselves in its shade, sitting under it. It is so dominant that it overshadows all the histories unfolding around. But the chestnut tree itself also has a history of its own, one that is very dramatic indeed. The place where the tree stands, the courtyard, was where Jews were rounded up to be sent to concentration camps. The tree is old, but not old enough to have collected positive histories. It just happened to grow in the days of what we call the plague in Breslau.
When you enter the courtyard, the first thing you see is this tree; it is quite provocative, this chestnut tree is. It’s fun to sit down and have a chat there.