The Nazis brought me to the concentration camp Theresienstadt because I’m a Jew. Millions of Jews were killed in the camps. I was lucky to survive. With this suitcase I returned to Berlin in 1945. My name is Jean Nadolovich: I am a singer and doctor. I was once an internationally famous opera tenor, with regular appearances at Berlin’s Komische Oper. But my career ended with the First World War. Born a Romanian citizen, I was banned from performing. So, I choose a new path: My wish was to train vocalists and help people with speech difficulties. For that purpose, I obtained a doctorate in medicine. And founded the International Institute for Applied Physiology and Vocal Pedagogy in Berlin. Here I combined my musical experience with my medical skills. My Breathing and voice therapy helped many people. After the war I reopened the institute in Berlin. For my life’s work I was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. I have kept the suitcase with which I left the concentration camp.
Due to the current circumstances we invite you to take a digital tour through the permanent exhibition BerlinZEIT. The Stadtmuseum Berlin presents at Märkisches Museum a host of artefacts related to the culture and history of the city. A strong level of civic engagement had already led to the foundation of the Museum in 1874. From 1899 to 1908 architect Ludwig Hoffmann designed this first city museum in the world.