On a hill a few miles outside Weimar, a talented klezmer duo of accordion and violin performed late into the night. Just one thing was missing from the scene. There were almost no Jews.

This evening and its backdrop summarize in one swoop the curious, complex and sometimes troubling world of klezmer music in Germany. But with few exceptions, the klezmer scene in Germany is a non-Jewish phenomenon, a renaissance of Jewish culture without Jews, prompting a wide range of reactions here and abroad, from bewilderment and cautious approval to cynicism and reproach.

On one hand, it can perhaps be seen as an example of the broader world-music trend toward genre tourism.