Stolpersteine: Remembering the Victims One Name At A Time

If you have never heard of a STOLPERSTEINE, you aren’t alone. Known as Stumbling Stones in English. I hadn’t either until my trip in November to The Netherlands and Germany. This article is going to tell you about them so that when you travel to Europe, you can be on the lookout for them.

Stolpersteine in Lübeck

What is a STOLPERSTEINE?

Stolpersteine is German for Stumbling Block or Stumbling Stone. It is a brass cube shaped memorial plaque that is laid in front of the last residence of choice of a victim of the holocaust. The size is 4″ X 4″. They could be seen alone, but also in groups where families lived together. The father ‘s and mother’s stones above the children’s stones are the norm. They bear the name of the person who lived there, the birth and death years, where they were deported to such as the transit camp and where they died, and they can hold as much as six lines.

Where are they found?

Stumbling Stones are found in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine.

Whose idea was it to create them?

Gunter Demning is a German Artist who was touched by the loss of so many Jews in his hometown of Berlin, Germany and wanted to do something about it. His website states: Gunter Demnig cites the Talmud saying that “a person is only forgotten when his or her name is forgotten.” The Stumbling Stone in front of the buildings bring back to memory the people who once lived here. Each “stone” begins with HERE LIVED… One “stone.” One name. One person. He created a foundation to administer the project.

Gunter Demning always places the first stone in a new location himself. As of April 2017, there were around 61,000 Stumbling Stones in 1,200 locations in Europe. There will be more; there’s a waiting list that is only growing larger.

Who could have a Stolpersteine?

Stumbling Stone website answers this question: “This project commemorates all victims of National Socialism – Jews, Sinti, Roma, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuals, mentally and physically disabled people, people persecuted for their political views, their religion or their sexuality, forced laborers, men considered deserters – anyone who was persecuted or murdered by the National Socialists between 1933 – 1945.”

Not all Stumbling Stones are for those holocaust victims who were murdered. Sometimes one or more members of the family escaped, and the others murdered. Their plaques would be placed together at their last ‘residence of choice” as a way of bringing the family together again.

Anyone can request a Stumbling Stone for a victim, but there is extensive research involved and permissions given where necessary, including from a l ing family member. They cost 120 Euro (roughly USD 133) for making and placing the stones.

More information about Gunter Demnig

If you would like to know more about the work of Gunter Demnig, check out this article from Deutsche Welle, a German public international broadcaster.  

It Is not easy to look at these stumbling stones that represent those persecuted or murdered. It’s poignant and heartbreaking, and it should be. These stones are a reminder never to allow this to happen again by learning from the past.

If this is something that you are interested in pursuing, your next step is to ,contact me.

---

Did you know I offer free travel design consultations? At Personally Yours Travel, I know that you’re the kind of explorer who appreciates personalized service.

You don’t have the time to spend endless hours researching trips online and still not know if you’re actually getting the best option. I get that it is overwhelming and frustrating to keep searching without getting the results you want. That’s why I do the work for you.

Having extensively traveled throughout Europe many times and sailed many cruises, I know what it takes to simplify even the most complicated itineraries. You being able to enjoy your vacation fully is my top priority.

During our session, you will

• Gain clarity about what you really want to do.
• Come away with ideas that might have never occurred to you.
• Choose the right destination for the experience you want to have.
• Know that you can begin a relationship with a travel professional who has your interests at heart.

To schedule your FREE travel planning consultation, click here. We’ll set up a time to have your complimentary travel design session so that you can experience the benefits above