How often do you see a memorial to a writer on a building? This Joseph Roth Plaque marks a place linked to a writer of immense talent. It is located at Kurfürstendamm 14/15. The plaque commemorates Joseph Roth.
The Joseph Roth Plaque was unveiled on October 24 1988. It was placed on the building that housed “Mampes gute Stube” at the time. The Berliner Gedenktafel is made of porcelain. It was created by KPM.
Joseph Roth arrived in Berlin in 1920. Berlin became his base for journalistic and literary work. He stayed until 1933. Hitler’s rise to power led him to leave Germany for France. Roth chronicled the lives of Berlin’s forgotten people. He wrote about war cripples and Jewish immigrants. He also wrote about criminals. Roth warned early on about the threat of the Nazis. He evoked a landscape of moral bankruptcy. He captured a debauched beauty. He created a memorable portrait of Berlin at a critical moment.
“What I Saw: Reports from Berlin, 1920–1933” is a collection of Roth’s reportage. Michael Bienert selected the pieces. They were published in German in 1996. Michael Hofmann translated them into English in 2003. The book records the violent social and political paroxysms. These events constantly threatened the fragile democracy. Some pieces report on prosaic aspects of life in Berlin. These included public parks and the rising entertainment industry.
Paul Bailey described Roth as brilliant. He said Roth was an original journalist. He also called him a storyteller. Roth cast his eye where lesser writers never ventured. He left a rich legacy of humane imagination. This Joseph Roth Plaque serves as a reminder. It honors his contributions to literature and journalism. It also remembers his insights into a tumultuous era.