“Germany in Jerusalem”: The Inauguration of the Augusta Victoria Church and Hospice on the Mount of Olives in 1910

In 1910 Prince Eitel Friedrich, the son of Kaiser Wilhelm II, and his wife, Duchess Sophia Charlotte of Oldenburg, accompanied by hundreds of German Protestant and Catholic notables, arrived in Jerusalem to inaugurate German institutions in the Holy City, take part in events and receptions, and thereby affirm the presence of the German Empire in the Holy Land and display its pre-eminence for all to see. One hundred and six years after the dedication of the Augusta Victoria complex, the article brings the visit of the German Prince to life via a series of historical “close-ups”. It begins with a depiction of the festive spirit that swept through the streets of Jerusalem in anticipation of the Prince’s arrival, the excitement that took hold of the city as the royal retinue drew near, and the innovations introduced during the visit. Next it depicts the dedication of the church on the Mount of Olives and surveys its design as a site linking the history of Christianity to the German Empire. A last close-up is of the symbol-laden elaborate dinner held to mark the inauguration of the Augusta Victoria complex, together with the messages implicit in the seating arrangements, in the ceremonial progress of the meal, and in the courses served.