“A special person.” That’s how Charlotte Jolles was described. Here at Groβbeerenstraβe 82, stands the Berliner Gedenktafel Charlotte Jolles. It marks the house where she lived as a child.
The Berliner Gedenktafel is a special kind of memorial plaque. It started in 1986. This Berliner Gedenktafel honors a remarkable woman. Charlotte Jolles was born in Berlin on October 5 1909. She grew up in this neighborhood.
Imagine young Charlotte walking to the Hochbahnhaltestelle “Hallesches Tor.” She was on her way to school. Her school was on Frankfurter Allee. Berlin in the 1920s was a vibrant place.
Charlotte studied at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität. She studied German language and literature. Also history, philosophy and education. In 1932, she researched Theodor Fontane in Prussian archives. Her father was a civil engineer. His Jewish heritage didn’t concern her at first.
Julius Petersen supported her during the early Nazi years. He was a prominent professor of German studies. Charlotte’s dissertation became a breakthrough in Fontane research. But it wasn’t published until 50 years later.
In 1937, Charlotte completed her doctorate. She avoided the ceremony. The rector would have refused to shake her hand. She refused to accept any humiliation.
She stayed in Berlin to care for her dying father. After his death in 1938, she finally left Germany. In 1939, she left with ten Reichsmark. She carried a typewriter. But she wasn’t sure how her German skills would translate.
Charlotte never revealed what she left behind. It was too personal. Uwe Johnson said we can find comfort in remembering someone like her. She went first to London. Later Kathleen Freeman invited her to Watford. It was a home for refugee children.
Charlotte gave new meaning to her life in England. Photos from that time show a poised woman. She seemed at peace with herself. Her German doctorate was worthless. Her former supporters were suspect. Still Charlotte found a way to survive.
She retrained as a teacher. Later she became an academic. From 1955, she advanced at Birkbeck College. In 1974, she became a professor of German literature. It was a goal she deserved long before.
Charlotte had a companion during her emigration. It eased her burdens. It helped with homesickness. That companion was Theodor Fontane. He helped with her dissertation. Also with her Master of Arts degree. Fontane and England became her focus.
Fontane provided continuity. He helped in a time of disruption. After 1945, she didn’t see Germany as an option. She became a British citizen.
She saw faces in Germany. Faces that had condemned her people. Charlotte understood this reality. But she didn’t let it overwhelm her. She focused on Fontane. She saw him as a Prussian democrat. She was unwilling to play assigned roles. She wouldn’t accept being a victim.
Charlotte looked to Germany from England. She recognized the decent people. Decency was her guiding principle. She followed Fontane research in East and West Germany. She maintained connections with scholars on both sides.
From England, Charlotte wrote a key chapter in Fontane research. She joined a group of male scholars. She co-edited Fontane’s letters. She also wrote a book about Fontane. She became a leading Fontane scholar.
In 1987, Humboldt University of Berlin gave her an honorary doctorate. After fifty years, she returned to the university. She paused in the foyer. She felt the weight of history. Then she stepped forward. It was like taking an exam.
In 1990, Charlotte gave a speech to the Theodor Fontane Society. She was now its honorary president. Her speech was honest and insightful. It reflected a life lived with integrity.
Charlotte used her honors to promote Fontane. She believed in his European cultural mission. She fought for her values. But she always used words. She avoided backstabbing. She used the telephone to connect people. Not to harm them.
She died in London on December 31 2003. She waited until after Fontane’s birthday. The Berliner Gedenktafel Charlotte Jolles reminds us of her life. It also reminds us of the importance of resistance.