Villa Aurora cultural centre reopens following wildfires

Los Angeles (d.de) – Germany’s Commissioner for Culture Wolfram Weimer visited Villa Aurora in Los Angeles on Tuesday. A year and a half after the devastating wildfires in Pacific Palisades, the traditional artist residence recently reopened. Funded by Germany’s Federal Government, Villa Aurora provides grants and fellowships to enable creative professionals to spend a period of time working and engaging with one another in Los Angeles. As one of the first guests, Weimer was able to see the repair work for himself and thanked the staff for their hard work and commitment. Weimer paid tribute to the villa, describing it as a place “where the strong ties between European and American culture become visible”. On behalf of Germany’s Federal President, Weimer presented Justin Jampol from the US with the Cross of the Order of Merit. The honour recognises his outstanding services to transatlantic cultural relations. When the fires broke out in January 2025, Jampol selflessly devoted himself to protecting valuable cultural assets. Thanks to his logistical and curatorial support, paintings, books and items of furniture belonging to the Feuchtwanger family were taken to a safe place. The Feuchtwanger family was the family of Jewish writer Lion Feuchtwanger and his wife Marta, who lived in Villa Aurora in Los Angeles after fleeing from the Nazis.