First Stolperstein | 20240520

First Stolperstein. Installed on 16 Dec 1992 in front of the City Hall in Cologne , Germany.

Over the past 30 years the team of German artist Gunter Demnig installed over 100,000 Stumbling Stones – ‘Stolpersteine’ – across 26 countries in Europe – the world’s largest memorial.

Demnig’s Stolpersteine are small, cobblestone-sized brass memorials for the victims of National Socialism. Set into the pavement of sidewalks in front of the buildings where Nazi victims once lived or worked, they call attention both to the individual victim and the scope of the Nazi war crimes.

The very first Stolperstein, was installed on 16 December 1992 in front of Cologne City Hall , with Heinrich Himmler’s order for the initiation of deportations of all Roma (Gypsies) :

„Auf Befehl des Reichsführers SS vom 16.12.42 – Tgb. Nr. I 2652/42 Ad./RF/V. – sind Zigeunermischlinge, Rom-Zigeuner und nicht deutschblütige Angehörige zigeunerischer Sippen balkanischer Herkunft nach bestimmten Richtlinien auszuwählen und in einer Aktion von wenigen Wochen in ein Konzentrationslager einzuweisen. Dieser Personenkreis wird im nachstehenden kurz als ‚zigeunerische Personen‘ bezeichnet. Die Einweisung erfolgt ohne Rücksicht auf den Mischlingsgrad familienweise in das Konzentrationslager (Zigeunerlager) Auschwitz.“

Notes

Photo : First Stolperstein at the Cologne City Hall, Germany. Photo Jan. 1, 2008, by Willy Horsch, CC-BY .

Citation info : First Stolperstein | @1MEMO 20240520

Passerby ~ Stumbling Stones Brussels

Passerby ~ Stumbling Stones Brussels
Little school kids yesterday afternoon, passing the stumbling stones in front of 92 Rue des Tanneurs (Huidevettersstraat – ‘Tanner street’) in the Marolles quarter of Brussels, of Mrs. Mirla Zalc (deported Jan 15, 1943 with transport #18) – widow of Jacob Eisenstab – and their three children Ida (deported Aug 15, 1942 with transport #3), Szlama (deported Aug 18, 1942 with transport #4), and Louis Eisenstab (deported April 19, 1943, number 1198 on transport #20). All murdered in Auschwitz. Film : 20200211 Michel van der Burg | 1-memo.com

Maks Bohm ~ Stumbling Stones Brussels

Maks Bohm ~ Stumbling Stones Brussels
Max Bohm (Maks Bohm – born 1922 in Germany) lived here – were I filmed this stolperstein today – in the Marolles district of Brussels at 112 Rue des Tanneurs (Huidevettersstraat – ‘Tanner street’) when he was arrested , and emprisoned in the nearby Mechelen transit camp (Kazerne Dossin) before being deported April 19, 1943 with Transport XX (the 20th train convoy direction Auschwitz). Max escaped, but he was arrested and deported again July 31, 1943 with the next convoy , Transport XXI , to Auschwitz were Max was murdered. Film : 20200210 Michel van der Burg | 1-memo.com