Treitschkestraße becomes Betty-Katz-Straße: a historical change!

Treitschkestraße becomes Betty-Katz-Straße: a historical change!

Betty-Katz-Straße, 14165 Berlin, Deutschland - In the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district, the Treitschkestrasse will be renamed Betty-Katz-Straße from October 1, 2025. The decision was unanimously caught by the district council (BVV) and published on June 6, 2025 in the Official Journal of Berlin. The renaming is intended to honor the memory of Betty Katz, the director of the Jewish blind home in Wrangelstrasse and was murdered in Theresienstadt on June 6, 1944. Local residents of the Treitschkestrasse had developed and supported the proposal for renaming.

The change of name is not only a step of redesigning the cityscape, but also the result of a decades of debate. As early as September 2022, a first decision for renaming was taken, but without an alternative name. The discussion about the old name, which was named after the anti -Semite Heinrich von Treitschke, had been up to 30 years and showed the sensitivity of the topic.

a free and unbureaucratic procedure

With the renaming, a transition period of six months is introduced, in which both the new name "Betty-Katz-Straße" and the old name will be visible. During this time, residents can make changes free of charge in their personal documents and vehicle registration. Mobile citizen offices offer support that take the concern of the residents into account.

The decision for the renaming was supported in a plenary session on January 22, 2025 by all BVV factions. Discussions in advance included topics such as anti -Semitic agitation, which was perceived as a critical context. In a meeting of the BVV committee for Education and Culture on January 8, 2025, experts were invited to the challenges and the importance of the culture of memory. This type of discussion underlines the social relevance of the topic and the incompatibility of the views of Treitschke with the principle of human dignity in Article 1 of the Basic Law.

A call to the culture of memory

The decision to renaming not only shows the change in the culture of memory in Berlin, but also the need to distance yourself from discriminatory historical covers. This development falls into a broader context, which also includes current debates about other problematic street names in the Berlin city area. In this way, renaming in Berlin can also be attributed to colonial past and racist ideologies, which became clear through extended execution regulations 2020.

The discussion about renaming streets that are named after controversial figures is in full swing. These arguments are not new. They go back to the 1980s and reflect social change and awareness of their own history. The new name not only honors the memory of a brave woman, but also a signal is that anti -Semitism and racism should not have a place in Berlin.

The adaptation of the street names is an active contribution to the creation of a solidarity and inclusive urban society and is made by initiatives that are committed to respectful coexistence. The renaming of the Treitschkestraße is another step in this direction.

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