Beyond the Wall - Chapters on Urban Jerusalem

Jerusalem is a child of the desert, a city precariously hovering on its brink, exposed to a bright, unrelenting sun. It presents a never-ending story, and people never cease to be fascinated by it. Not only is Jerusalem an important historical and spiritual site but also a modern city, home and workplace to three quarters of a million people that draws attention as the Middle East's most controversial urban center. Yet the city we know today can actually only be understood against the background of the comprehensive and rapid changes that took place here in the second half of the nineteenth century.

Beyond the Wall is a new book about an old city, offering a unique and unusual perspective.

As an original work of non-fiction, the book sheds light on some of the enigmas of Jerusalem's more recent past, telling the tale of ist growth from a provincial town somewhere in the Turkish Empire into a modern city during the second half of the 19th centuriy. It recalls the time when many different population groups became active in Jerusalem, founding their own neighborhoods, institutions and businesses while they competed for influence - Jews and Arabs as well as the French, Germans, British, Russians, Austrians, Italians and Americans, their consuls and clergy. The book also includes two chapters on Arab Jerusalem, and a preface by Teddy Kollek, who served as the city's mayor for almost 30 years.

About the Author Heike Zaun-Goshen was born in Germany, where she studied for her master's degree in general history and Spanish literature. Today, she works as a writer and translator, and lives in the Jerusalem area.