Copper Houses in Potsdam: Rediscover Architecture and German-Jewish History

Copper Houses between Bauhaus, Jewish Industrial History, and Emigration

On November 12, 2026, the event series Close-up Brandenburg – Moses in the Museum invites you to an impressive lecture at the Brandenburg Museum in Potsdam. Dr. Ines Sonder from the Moses Mendelssohn Center follows the history of extraordinary prefabricated houses from Eberswalde and opens a precise view of architecture, Jewish economic history, and the material traces of German-Jewish emigration to Palestine.

A Model Settlement of Copper

At the foot of the water tower in the brassworks Eberswalde, a model settlement of eight prefabricated copper houses was created in 1931/32. The unusual construction combined industrial manufacturing with modern architecture. Walter Gropius, the founder of the Bauhaus and one of the formative designers of classical modernism, was also involved in its development.

Architecture as a Mobile Home

The examination of the works focuses on houses that were not only built but could be transported as dismantlable architecture. After 1933, the copper houses were specifically offered to German-Jewish emigrants. Models with names like Haifa, Tel Aviv, or Jerusalem were relocated to Palestine and could be rebuilt at their new residences.

Jewish Industrial History and Material Memory

The history of the copper houses is closely linked to the Jewish industrial family Hirsch, which shaped the brassworks for several generations. The lecture connects perspectives from economic and technology history with the history of persecution, emigration, and new beginnings. Some of the houses are still preserved in Israel today and make historical migration tangible through their concrete materiality.

Cultural Education in the Museum

The event presents itself as a scientifically grounded mediation between Brandenburg state history, modern architecture, and Jewish memory culture. The focus is on the aesthetic experience of industrially shaped architecture, the spatial effect of prefabricated buildings, and the question of how objects, houses, and materials make biographical breaks visible across generations.

Conclusion: History Becomes Tangible on Site

The lecture by Dr. Ines Sonder promises a concentrated artistic experience and an enlightening examination of works at the intersection of Bauhaus history, Jewish industrial history, and migration. Those who wish to experience Brandenburg's past from a new perspective and understand the material traces of German-Jewish history should not miss this free evening at the Brandenburg Museum.

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Sources:

• Moses Mendelssohn Center Potsdam – Event Information
• Brandenburg Society for Culture and History – Event
• University of Potsdam – Event Calendar