Jerusalem Between Two Wars
The history of Jerusalem in the second half of the 19th century witnessed a period of considerable development. After centuries of being marginalized by an extensive Empire, Jerusalem found deliverance in 1831 at the hands of the Egyptians with their liberal outlooks, who’s invasion of Palestine freed it from previous social and cultural repression. Similarly the Europeans and after almost seven centuries of severed ties with the city, had also come to rediscover Jerusalem. They imposed hegemony of sorts on many aspects of the city’s landscape and lifestyle. Evidence of this influence was felt in the European styled buildings and the emergence of international consulates with their various flags. Hostels, hospices, hospitals, schools and institutions were also established, thus placing Jerusalem at the heart of the political and cultural heart of the area. . The multi- cultural European influence and hustle and bustle of Jerusalem outside the city walls contrasted greatly with the traditional life inside the Old City. It was the neighborhoods like al Baq'a, Qattamon, Musrarah and Sheikh Jarrah that were mostly affected by this European impact. These neighborhoods flourished with their grandiose buildings, elegant villas and landscaped gardens from where music with western melodies resounded. Outside the wall also rose modern stores, stretching from Jaffa Gate to Mamilla. All along Jaffa Road one could see shops with displays of modern furniture, radios, western-style clothes and a variety of foods and drinks all new to the Jerusalem scene. Photographers got busy capturing people and places, musicians performed in municipal gardens at the entrance of Jaffa Road and there were also theatres and movie houses that became popular with the local community.
The cultural change and social development of the city in the aftermath of World War l and the ensuing British Mandate over Palestine, led to the declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. Resounding with myriad languages and echoing an assorted cultural presence, Jerusalem was transformed to what one might call a "global village". One had to only roam its streets to encounter the Armenian who had fled to Jerusalem for refuge, the Ethiopian who had decided to take residence on the roof of the church of the Holy Sepulcher , the Moroccan and the Nigerian both living in the neighborhood of the Aqsa Mosque. There was also the Jew who had fled from the racism in Poland, the Afghani, the Turk, the Greek, the German, the Swede, the Scotsman, the Cypriot, the "Arnaouti”, the Hebronite, the Jerusalemite, the Nabulsi, the Jaffawite, the man from Lydda and the American …. and the list goes on and on.
Like the city itself, the Jerusalem home was not any different nor far from all the developments and growth surrounding it. The newly styled house in the new quarters was designed to suit modern living and was supplied with electrical connections to serve up-to date appliances. Layouts and interior spaces for home services, car parks, modern furniture, wooden beds, cupboards, sofas and armchairs, chandeliers, library rooms with shelves stacked with books from all over the world became common features of the Jerusalem home. In contrast and inside the city walls the traditional Palestinian home did not change much. There, the floor stacked with pillows, rugs and stuffed mattresses, provided the area for sleeping, eating and socializing. Niches in the wall were the cupboards and petrol lamps the electricity bulbs, while the courtyard with the lemon tree was the outdoor garden.
However time was not favorable to Jerusalem as it became affected by political developments and upheavals in the area. The Jewish quarters grew and became crowded with the new settlers who came to Jerusalem running away from the Nazis , in consequence they reclaimed the city for themselves, spreading their Jewish eliticisim and thus estranging the city from its indigenous Palestinians inhabitants.
In the aftermath of the war of 1948 the very pulse of Jerusalem stopped. The city was divided into two opposite entities. The Palestinians who lived in the Western part of the city had to flee, leaving behind all their possessions, their homes, furniture, their books, musical instruments and even the toys of their children, carrying with them only what remained of their memories.
Dr. Nazmi Jubeh April 2009
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