Jüdisches Altersheim
The Jewish Old People's Home
The 2nd Old People's Care Institute ( 2. Altersversorgungsanstalt) of the Jewish community near the Jewish Cemetery on the Schönhauser Allee was inaugurated in 1883. After 1945 it was used as a police-station for some decades. Today, it is used as a residential building after an extensive refurbishment.
Bertha (1837-1918) and Moritz Mannheimer (1827-1916) established and paid the institution on the occasion of their silver-wedding. The family grave of that generous couple is located on the Jewish Cemetery directly on the wall bordering on the Jewish Old People's Home. When it was inaugurated twelve people were the first boarders. At first the home had twelve chambers on two floors and it also featured a home synagogue, a meeting room, a kitchen, a store, a laundry, an ironing room, a boiler room and the apartment of the home inspector. In order to be allowed to move into the home the boarders had to be at least 60 years old. They had to be followers of the Jewish faith and also had to live in Berlin for the last 15 years. The Old People's Home was mainly financed by donations. After two expansions of the existing building it included then a reading room with library and offered space for 80 boarders. In 1942 the home was closed by the National socialists and the majority of the boarders and their helpers were transported to Theresienstadt.