This coming Tuesday (30th April) we have a tour once more to the Otto Weidt Museum, just down the street from the Circus. It is one of the most fascinating free tours that we offer, thanks to the commitment and knowledge of the museum guides who show us around… they really are excellent, and the story they have to tell has to be heard to be believed.
In 1936 Otto Weidt established his workshop, which he moved in 1940 to the back courtyard of Rosenthaler Straße 39 to manufacture brooms and brushes. Because one of his main customers was the German Army, Weidt managed to have his business classified as vital to the war effort. About thirty blind and deaf Jews were employed at his shop between the years of 1941 and 1943. When the Gestapo began to arrest and deport his Jewish employees, Weidt fought to secure their safety by falsifying documents, bribing officers, and even hiding them inside the factory itself.
Here’s what Andrew, our Entertainment Manager has to say about his experience of leading the tour down to the Otto Weidt museum:
“During the tour through the museum you discover stories of real people that are almost unbelievable – from the desperation of living a hidden and underground life in Berlin to amazing stories of survival – and it is thanks to the guides at the Otto Weidt that this history comes to life in such a vivid and incredible way. After the tour of the museum they then take us through the heart of the old Jewish quarter of Berlin, including the memorial that marks the collection spot for the Jewish population before their deportation to the camps.”
The tour is of course free to guests of The Circus, but places are limited, so please make sure you sign up at reception to guarantee your place.
Torstraße 111 is just around the corner from the Circus Hostel – by the bus stop in fact – and this Friday it is opening up as the newest art space in the neighbourhood, restored by the artists themselves.
Opening event of the new contemporary art space 
In amongst all the excitement of the opening of the Apartments last week, we missed the second birthday of this lovely blog, and so we thought we would use the chance to not only say “Happy Birthday” to ourselves, but have a look back at a year in the Circus through our blog posts. Now quite a lot of things have happened to us over the past twelve months, so we have decided to split this into two and begin with the first six months of the year.
Just down the street from the Circus is the U-Bahn station at Weinmeisterstrasse, which is home until the 7th September to an exhibition of photographs from the artist and photographer 
