Ez Chaim – Baum des Lebens: Kurzkonzert zum 25. Todestag Herman Berlinskis

The Leipzig composer Herman Berlinski (born August 18, 1910, in Leipzig; died September 27, 2001, in Washington) spent the first nearly 23 years of his life in Leipzig. He studied music at the conservatory and was deeply influenced in many ways by the city’s cultural life. In 1933, he was forced to flee: his journey took him via Poland first to France, where he married his longtime girlfriend from Leipzig, Sina Goldfein. In 1941, they managed to flee to the United States at the last moment. There, he found a wide range of opportunities as an organist, choir director, musicologist, and lecturer. As an organist, he made a name for himself on countless concert tours. Berlinski left behind an extensive body of compositional work. In addition to 12 organ symphonies, his setting of the Friday evening liturgy “Avodat Shabbat” is among his major works. This composition from 1958 will have its German premiere on September 27, 2026, in the East Hall of Leipzig Central Station. In 1981, Herman Berlinski visited Leipzig for the first time since his escape, accompanied by his wife.

Until 1938, the Kolonnadenviertel was home to Leipzig’s two largest synagogues. They provided a religious home for Jews of various denominations. While 140 bronze chairs now stand as a memorial to the liberal “Tempel” on Gottschedstraße, a parking lot now occupies the former site of the Ez-Chaim Synagogue. It was the largest Orthodox synagogue in Saxony and provided support and guidance to thousands of Jews who had fled the pogroms in Eastern Europe at the end of the 19th century. Without residence permits, they were largely without rights. Sermons in the synagogue were delivered in their native language, Yiddish. Berlinski, a descendant of Polish Jews, attended the youth services at the Ez-Chaim Synagogue and gave piano lessons to the children of the synagogue’s legendary cantor, Nahum Wilkomirski.
Today, the Notenspur Leipzig e.V. commemorates the Ez-Chaim Synagogue with a banner on the wall of the neighboring building—depicting an interior view of the synagogue—as well as a sound installation (which will be turned off for this concert) featuring original audio recordings of Cantor Wilkomirski.

In memory of the Leipzig composer Herman Berlinski, Eileen Wokan (soprano), Eszter Bessenyői (flute), and Benedikt Schäfer (cello) will perform a short concert.