Hirschfeld's Go To Izmir

On the trail of a Jewish family from Hohenems in Izmir, Turkey. The Hermann and Karoline Hirschfeld family from Hohenems emigrated to Izmir in the 19th century to work in the textile trade. Their trail then leads on to Istanbul, Vienna, Frankfurt and that of their descendants to Guatemala and back to visits to Hohenems. The play follows this journey with all its questions about life as a minority in what was then multicultural Izmir, as well as the personal conflicts of the characters, some of whom are historically documented and some of whom are fictional. Cinematic sequences bring the historical narrative into the present, confronting us with today's conflicts and issues. Migration is as much a topic for the merchants of the Levant almost 180 years ago as it is for people migrating from Turkey today and in the recent past. Political issues are intertwined with the psychological issues of the individual characters. A fictional young couple from Austria embarks on a journey to the port city of Izmir in the Turkish Aegean region, initially with vague goals, but then becoming increasingly fascinated by the stories that unfold before them. They meet Hermann and Karoline Hirschfeld, and places and times no longer matter. The trip becomes a search for roots and Jewish heritage, for political and personal taboos, and for their own freedom of thought.

The text was written by Aksel Bonfil, a Turkish-Jewish author living in Istanbul as a director and writer, based on research conducted by the theatre team.