A tribute
Jani was an extraordinary woman with whom I had a very special bond that I treasure and deeply appreciate. We managed to forge a friendship that extended beyond the professional sphere and brought us closer, allowing us to share our personal stories without formalities.
Ilana Lamstein
The Legacy of Jani Pietsch:
A Story of Friendship and Commitment
Denk Mal am Ort" - DMAO is a project based in Berlin, Germany, initiated in 2016 by Jani Pietsch, Marie Rolshoven, and Florian Voss. The German expression DMAO, which translates to "Commemorate at the Place," aims to bring to memory the history of Jewish families deported during the Nazi regime, whose homes and apartments were looted and occupied. The project's objective is to preserve the memory of these families and raise awareness about the Holocaust by documenting and commemorating their stories.
A Tribute to Jani Pietsch
“Hasta que no estés en su lugar”, was a project I started in mid-2018 without realizing how enriching the work process would be and that I would meet such wonderful people along the way.
Initially, I began working with Mónica, taking note of the memories and emotional records she had from her childhood and adolescence. However, to construct her story, it was necessary to clarify certain details and seek out others that were essential for the reconstruction of the family plot.
I spent weeks consulting various websites and articles until I came across Jani Pietsch and her daughter Marie Rolshoven through a news article about the Denk Mal am Ort (DMAO) project they were leading in Berlin.
Inspired by the Open Jewish Homes Project by Dutch activist Denise Citroen, Marie Rolshoven, Jani Pietsch, and Florian Voss brought the idea to Germany in 2016.
The purpose of this initiative was to bring to memory the history of deported Jewish families whose houses and apartments were looted and occupied during the Nazi regime, and are now inhabited by other families.
I searched for the project online and reached out to Jani. I introduced myself, explained what I was working on, and asked for suggestions on where to find certain crucial information for the reconstruction of the story.
The response I received from Jani was so incredible that I believe it will be hard to experience something like that again. Jani requested permission, as a historian, to consult the German state archives in search of information about Mónica's family.
This led me to important documentation about Mónica's paternal family, which revealed undeniable facts, dates, and places. I owe this invaluable discovery to Jani, which would have been impossible for me to access from Uruguay.
Jani was an extraordinary woman with whom I had a very special bond that I cherish and appreciate immensely. We managed to forge a friendship that extended beyond the professional realm and allowed us to share our personal stories without formalities.
Unfortunately, fate did not allow me to meet her in person. Sadly, in July 2020, after battling a severe illness, Jani Pietsch departed from this physical plane to transcend.
Simón Macadar, Mónica Wartenberger's grandson, traveled to Germany in September 2019 and communicated with Jani months before her passing. Mónica and I sent her a shawl, which Simón delivered during their brief encounter at her atelier.
A Tribute to Jani Pietsch
Thanks to God, I had the opportunity to ask Jani to send me some photos to include in the publication of the book. I never imagined that the words that would accompany that image would be of gratitude and at the same time of farewell. She told me that the photo she liked best of those she had sent me was the one her daughter had taken of her at the summer villa of the well-known German-Jewish impressionist painter Max Liebermann.
In 2022, after the first publication of the book, I traveled to Germany with my cousin Ariel Goldstein as part of the Tiyul Jewish Journeys program that he directs, which focuses on the historical journey of Jewish life in the country. I had the opportunity to visit this majestic place full of history, love and pain. And I reconnected with it, with the enjoyment of nature and happy times.
A Tribute to Jani Pietsch
And it was a journey of encounters….
During my brief stay in Berlin, I contacted Marie and we agreed to meet at the exit of the Jewish Museum in Berlin. It was a moment that filled me with emotion and, at the same time, confronted me with the ordeal of Jani's departure. In a fraction of a second, we looked at each other, smiled at each other and walked towards our meeting. Words were not necessary, because we melted into a long silent embrace, where Jani's absence was inevitable, but at the same time, a presence that linked us like a ring of light.
Marie is a person who radiates calm, gentleness and determination, with whom I was able to establish a true connection as soon as we met. Together we honored Jani's legacy, building a new relationship of affection and bond with deep roots. DMAO continues to move forward thanks to her effort and commitment, promoting its growth and inviting more people to join a project that preserves memory and dignifies the human condition.
This book is also a tribute to the memory of Jani Pietsch and her titanic task of honoring the memory of the Jews murdered in the Shoah.
Ilana Lamstein
Links
https://www.denkmalamort.de/english/
http://www.janipietsch.de/index-en.html#work
https://www.marie-rolshoven.com/