The many faces of Jerusalem – in one big book - review
"Jerusalem, he contends, is at the center of the conflict that permeates the holy city at every conceivable level. 'But Jerusalem is like an old lady used to the quarrels of her grandchildren.'"
Israeli security forces guard while Jews visit the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City, June 8, 2023.(photo credit: JAMAL AWAD/FLASH90)BySTEVE LINDE
I was contacted several months ago by Lukas Landmann, a professor emeritus at the University of Basel in Switzerland, and we arranged to meet at a Jerusalem café so that he could give me a copy of his new book, Jerusalem: Faces of a City, to review. Shuttling between his homes in Basel and Jerusalem, Landmann – who has dual Swiss and Israeli citizenship – comes across as sharp and charming. His book is beautiful, although his Swiss “neutrality” on Israel can sometimes be off-putting.
A tome of more than 500 pages , it’s a colossal history of the cultural heritage of the Holy City, written concisely in English, Hebrew, and Arabic, and accompanied by stunning photographs.
“Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, each with various rulers, have left their imprints and have contributed to the city’s common heritage,” Landmann explains. “For all three faiths, Jerusalem is the place of higher spirituality; over centuries, their quarrel for supremacy has been a historical constant. Each period in the turbulent history of the city has left its traces and has contributed a facet to its appearance. It is the multitude of civilizations that makes this city special and the mosaic of traditions which only as a whole yields a comprehensive picture. This book presents Jerusalem’s cultural heritage in pictures and short texts, setting it in a historical context. All texts are written in Hebrew, English, and Arabic in order to pay respect to all religions and civilizations that have shaped the face of this unique place.”
After his retirement as a professor of anatomy and histology who, in his words, “photographed cells” throughout his professional career, Landmann devoted himself to publishing three illustrated books: Basel in Bildern, Basel Illustrated (2010); Der Birs entlang, au cours de la Birse (2012); and Kostbarkeiten der/Tresors de la Petite Camargue Alsacienne (2016, with H. Durrer). The current volume is perhaps his crowning glory.
Surrounding the Walls of the Old City of Jerusalem (credit: Rinat Cohen)
“This book is the result of many journeys to and longer stays in Jerusalem,” he writes. “Taking the pictures was a great experience for approaching the city’s soul; writing the texts led to many discoveries.”
About the book
Stressing that the book is not about religion, Landmann clarifies at the outset that its title does not relate to human faces. “The appearance of a city is created by buildings and remnants, the work of people accumulated over the centuries and millennia. Each of the three religions with their various rulers has left its imprints, has shaped the face of the city, and has contributed to the common heritage.”
He does not shy away from Zionism or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, addressing it in his own “impartial” way. “Today, two nations are competing on the same small territory,” he says . “The State of Israel pretends [sic] that the undivided city is its capital, while the representatives of the Palestinians claim it as the capital of their own [future] state. Religious, as well as political positions, are intermingled in a manner that, by now, has thwarted any attempts to resolve the conflict.”
Jerusalem, he contends, is at the center of the conflict that permeates the holy city at every conceivable level. “But Jerusalem is like an old lady used to the quarrels of her grandchildren,” he observes. “She has seen many conquerors seduced by her mythical history and beauty. Each of them hoisted their own flag, tried to fabricate their own narrative and build their own tower – towers which epitomize the city’s cultural heritage.”
Israel’s efforts to turn Jerusalem into the capital of a Jewish state, he says, “are met with fierce Palestinian resistance.” Still, he concludes, “No matter who is in control of this contested place, the past will inevitably resurface and challenge any story tailored to a one-sided or religious political agenda.”
As you can tell from his comments, Landmann seeks not to take sides in the good old Swiss tradition, although he’s not anti-Israel or pro-Palestinian per se, and his love for Jerusalem is palpable on every page. In his autographed dedication of my copy of the book, he wrote that I shared his love for this beautiful city. I do. And if you do too, you might enjoy this picturesque book on your coffee table; the launching is at the American Colony Hotel on Feb. 12 at 6 p.m.■
