Treitschkestrasse now Betty-Katz-Strasse: A victory against anti-Semitism

Treitschkestrasse now Betty-Katz-Strasse: A victory against anti-Semitism

On October 1, 2025, Treitschkestrasse in Berlin-Steglitz was officially renamed Betty-Katz-Strasse. The decision to rename followed a long-standing dispute that has occupied the Berlin public and politicians. Heinrich von Treitschke, after whom the street was named, is considered a historian and politician with controversial anti-Semitic statements that continue to have historical and social relevance. The members of the District Council (BVV) made the decisive decision in favor of the renaming, against the votes of the CDU and AfD, after an intensive debate that spanned a period of almost 30 years.

The new namesake, Betty Katz, worked as director of the Jewish home for the blind in Steglitz and was murdered in a concentration camp in 1944. Her life's work symbolizes the necessary remembrance of the victims of anti-Semitism in Germany. District mayor Maren Schellenberg (Greens) was pleased with the decision to rename the building and underlined the social responsibility to deal with history.

Renaming process and its meaning

The renaming was announced during an event that lasted just a few seconds and was attended by about 200 people, including students. Urban Aykal (Greens), the district councilor, unveiled the new street name and emphasized the importance of measures against anti-Semitism. Residents on Betty-Katz-Straße can have their identification documents changed free of charge at the Citizens' Office during a transitional period of six months.

There had been repeated discussions about renaming streets in Berlin. In recent years in particular, there have been numerous debates about the names of many streets that have problematic historical references. A study by the political scientist Felix Sassmannshausen, which was commissioned by the Berlin anti-Semitism commissioner Samuel Salzborn, identifies 290 street names in Berlin with anti-Semitic backgrounds. The debate about anti-Semitism in society can also be seen in relation to other streets such as Richard-Wagner-Platz and Martin-Luther-Straße, whose namesakes also made anti-Semitic statements.

Conclusion and outlook

The renaming to Betty-Katz-Straße marks an important step in Berlin's culture of remembrance. At the same time, the discussion shows how long it takes until social impulses are translated into concrete measures. Historians have described Heinrich von Treitschke as a pioneer of modern anti-Semitism, who was one of the protagonists in the anti-Jewish currents of the 19th century with statements such as “The Jews are our misfortune”. The change of the street name comes against the background of a critical examination of one's own history under the ongoing influence of anti-Semitic attitudes within society.