RAHEL VARNHAGEN READING CIRCLE: LEARNING ACTIVISM FROM HANNAH ARENDT
Schedule
Sun, 15 Feb, 2026 at 04:30 pm
UTC+01:00Location
Jägerstraße 51, 10117 Berlin, Germany | Berlin, BE
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Thinking in the Salons of Berlin📅 February 15 & April 26, 2026
🕟 4:30 PM
📍 Mendelssohn-Remise, Jägerstr. 51, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
What does it mean to think — and to act — in times of uncertainty?
Join us for two special encounters at the historic Mendelssohn-Remise, inspired by Hannah Arendt and Rahel Varnhagen, and rooted in Berlin’s rich salon tradition.
Part of the Rahel Varnhagen Reading Circle – Hannah Arendt Special Series 2026, these gatherings combine discussion, close reading, and a walk through Berlin.
🗓 Sunday, February 15 · 4:30 PM
Learning Activism from Hannah Arendt
A conversation with Prof. Natan Sznaider, engaging with Lyndsey Stonebridge’s The Pariah and Her Shadow: Hannah Arendt’s Biography of Rahel Varnhagen.
(Readings will be provided after registration.)
🗓 Sunday, April 26 · 4:30 PM
Rahel Varnhagen as an Activist
• Talk by Dr. Hannah Lotte Lund
• Guided walking tour with Dorothee Nolte, visiting relevant Berlin sites
• Concluding back at Mendelssohn-Remise
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
👥 Limited capacity – registration required
Register here: https://t1p.de/f0de3
Participants may join individual sessions or follow the full series.
We look forward to thinking together in the Salons of Berlin.
About the Rahel Varnhagen Reading Circle:
The Rahel Varnhagen Reading Circle is a monthly English-language gathering in Berlin inspired by Rahel Varnhagen (1771–1833), one of the city’s most influential salonnières. As the daughter of a Jewish merchant, Rahel hosted a prominent salon in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, fostering dialogue across literature, philosophy, and culture.
Drawing on the legacy explored in Hannah Arendt’s biography of Rahel Varnhagen, the Reading Circle continues this tradition by creating an inclusive and respectful space for critical thinking and meaningful discussion. Together, we explore contemporary Jewish issues as well as broader questions of identity, belonging, responsibility, and the power of ideas.
Sessions are conducted in English and welcome participants of all backgrounds. The circle is designed as a safe space grounded in mutual respect, active listening, and open dialogue.
MORE INFORMATION: https://www.jassberlin.org/reading-group
✨ A very special location
For the first time, this series unfolds at the Mendelssohn-Remise — adding a unique historical dimension to our shared inquiry.
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Where is it happening?
Jägerstraße 51, 10117 Berlin, Germany, Jägerstraße 51, 10117 Berlin, Deutschland, Berlin, GermanyEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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