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2018 - Amsterdam - Stumbling Stones

In Explore 21 Sep 18

 

These Stumbling Stones (Stolperstein) imbedded in the sidewalk are located at Kloveniersburgwal 53-3. These four people who lived here were deported (Gedorteerd) and murdered (Vermord) in Auschwitz concentration camp.

 

They commemorate:

Willy Lachotzki

Elsbeth Lachotzki-Berner

Rosalie Lachotski-Cohn

Betty Lewy-Lachotski

 

Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks installed all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig.

 

They remember the fate of the victims of Nazi Germany being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.

 

Generally stumbling blocks are placed in front of the building where the victims had their last residence.

 

A Stolperstein is a 10 by 10 centimetres (3.9 in × 3.9 in) concrete cube bearing a brass plate inscribed with the name and life dates of victims of Nazi extermination or persecution.

 

The Stolpersteine project, initiated by the German artist Gunter Demnig in 1992, aims to commemorate individuals at exactly the last place of residency—or, sometimes, work before he or she fell victim to Nazi terror, euthanasia, eugenics, was deported to a concentration or extermination camp, or escaped persecution by emigration or suicide.

 

The majority of Stolpersteine commemorate Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Others have been placed for Sinti and Romani people (then also called “gypsies"), homosexuals, the physically or mentally disabled, Jehovah's Witnesses, black people, members of the Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the anti-Nazi Resistance, the Christian opposition (both Protestants and Catholics), and Freemasons, along with International Brigade soldiers in the Spanish Civil War, military deserters, conscientious objectors, escape helpers, capitulators, "habitual criminals", looters, and others charged with treason, military disobedience, or undermining the Nazi military, as well as Allied soldiers.

 

As of 29 March 2018, over 67,000 Stolpersteine have been laid in 22 countries making the Stolpersteine project the world's largest decentralized memorial.

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Uploaded on September 20, 2018
Taken on May 24, 2018