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Walter Benjamin Hiking Trail

Walter Benjamin: philosopher, literary critic and translator. Born in 1892 in Berlin. In September 1940 during his flight from the National Socialists the left-wing writer and Jew dies in the northern Spanish border town of Portbou. Benjamin fears that the lack of an exit stamp from France will cause him to be handed over to the Nazis, so he commits suicide. Hitler’s henchmen drive European emigrants south across France before them. In 1994 the internationally highly regarded artist, Dani Karavan, created a memorial in the Portbou cemetery.

September 2007: the waymarking for the hiking trail from Banyuls in France and Portbou in northern Spain is now completed. At every point along the route there is a change in perspective between the views of the turquoise blue sea and the mountain ranges, shimmering in the midday heat. One day awe-inspiring hurricane-strength tramontane winds; the next tranquil solitude. A day’s walk full of variety, in no way alpine, but not a gentle stroll either. At times a pleasant walk between the vineyards and dry river beds, along tarmacked roads with scarcely any shade, between fertile gardens, and often along goat tracks between olive trees twisted by the storms.

Lizards scurry across boulders, and with luck you will see a gecko dozing in the sun. At the top the escape route becomes a scree slope, the pass lies a good 500 metres above the glittering surface of the sea. Has it become two seas? The enchanting panorama lets you forget for a moment the fate of thousands of refugees who crossed and still cross this plateau.

In memory of the people, who, in 1940, escaped with their lives along the F-route (and nowadays the Walter Benjamin Trail). Or in memory of those for whom, even today, a border is more than just a line. From Banyuls to Portbou on foot, a day among olive trees and on stony paths.

• But who is this Lisa Fittko, to whom there is a monument on the route?
• And what is Walter Benjamin referring to in his philosophical essay on the technical reproducibility of works of art, films and photographs?

At eleven points along the way we explain the background to the story- for Android appliances no mobile connection is required, even up on the pass or down in a narrow valley. The app for smartphone/tablet can be downloaded here or from the app store . After this the tours can be downloaded to be used offline anywhere and at any time.

The GPS technology of the Android app helps you to find the sometimes meandering path. At eleven places suitable for resting you can hear, see and read background information. An online version for users of other systems will be available.
Installation and Start: After installing ➀ the app from App-Store or from the website, ➁ download a tour from the context menu of the app, and then ➂ choose from the context menu. ➃ Perhaps also download maps/tiles so you can consult the map en route.
➔ The contents of each information point are displayed in the browser, we strongly advise you to use an up-to-date version of Firefox or Chrome.

Sitemap: Overview of Information Points

• [1] The Walk and Guide · The walk that lies before you, what this guide offers and first thoughts about Walter Benjamin.
• [2] Help to Escape - Memorial Site Lisa Fittko · Often the last hope for those fleeing the Nazis: the route over the Pyrenees. Helpers like Lisa and Hans Fittko are indispensable.
• [3] Walter Benjamin: A turbulent life · Childhood in Berlin, studies, political commitment. Open marriage and love affairs, consciousness enhancing drugs.
• [4] Benjamin‘s Theories and Thought Processes · Revolution and Religion? Critical theory, interest in Communism, Philosophy of History.
• [5] Fascism in Europe · Hitler’s Germany attacks France, fugitives from the NS flee to the south. They become trapped in the no-longer safe port of Marseille.
• [6] The Tribulations of Escaping · Crossing the border illegally in the mountains requires the activation of hidden reserves of strength and nervous energy- especially after many years in exile.
• [7] Pass, Border, Escape Routes · Borders are both obstacles and gateways to freedom. Fleeing from Francoism and the Nazis, and nowadays fleeing to Europe, using many different routes and aided by Escape Networks
• [8] Art and Media Theory · Social effects of radio and cinema. Reproducibility of the work of art. The emancipatory potential of mass culture
• [9] Portbou: Spanish Civil War and National Socialism · Flight and destruction during the Spanish Civil War, Nazis patrol the border
• [10] Walter Benjamin‘s Death · In 1940 Walter Benjamin dies of an overdose of morphine in Portbou. Was it really suicide? Myths and memories in Portbou
• [11] Passages: Memorial Site and Benjamin’s Magnum Opus · Development and Purpose of the Memorial Site, Fragments belonging to Benjamin’s Arcades Project

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Portbou and Banyuls can both be reached easily by French railway SNCF as there are direct trains from Paris and Strasbourg which stop there.
All types of accommodation are available from the simple private holiday apartment in Portbou to hotels of all categories along the coast.

All the information on this page is intended as an initial orientation, for which no liability can be accepted. The contents are licensed under a Creative Commons Licence , as long as nothing is stated to the contrary, for example, that restrictions are imposed by the copyright holder of some pictures.