A powerful personality behind the Germania Judaica
Heinrich Böll

  • Enlightenment about prejudices of the past brings immunity to prejudices of the future.
    Heinrich Böll

Cologne writer and Nobel Prize winner for literature Heinrich Böll (1917–1985) was one of the founders of the Germania Judaica. From 1947 onwards, his works analysed the Nazi regime, his time as a soldier in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War, the post-war period, and the young Federal Republic. He was concerned about the lack of Germany’s dealing with the Nazi era and the growing public display of anti-Semitism. In addition to promoting an understanding of Judaism, he was committed to interfaith dialogue and was involved in the founding of the Cologne Society for Christian-Jewish Cooperation.

In an interview with Hartwig Schmidt, Heinrich Böll talks about the tasks and objectives of Cologne’s Germania Judaica library. It was broadcast on 25 October 1960.
© WDR

You can listen to the full interview in the WDR media centre.