Hamburg, Germany: May 2012
What a wrenching memorial. Writes a friend visiting Hamburg, “The house immediately next door to my hotel–now a kindergarten–had these brass 4″ by 4″ plaques embedded in the sidewalk–as a number of houses do in Hamburg.” This couple was in their sixties. I see there are many such memorials in Germany.
A grim reminder…
I see there are many such memorials in Germany.
And in Italy (“Qui abitava …”) and elsewhere in Europe: http://www.google.it/search?q=pietre+d'inciampo&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=MSCxT6OqA8X44QTo-rGsCQ&ved=0CHQQsAQ&biw=1152&bih=628
They are the work of German artist Gunter Demnig.
The artist is Gunter Demnig, Stolpersteine, stones to make you stumble, stumbling stones. He lived in my street for ages. He moved further out one or two years ago, I think.
I still remember when my friend, a painter, came back one evening from his local bar around the corner, saying: I think Gunter has a great idea. That’s when it all started. And of course it started in Cologne. In Munich the Council of German Jews caused a little trouble, they didn’t like the idea that “the victims figuratively would be stepped on again,” or something similar.
They were described to me as “stumbling stones”.
This memorial in Budapest is even more powerful.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoes_on_the_Danube_Promenade
“Hier wohnte…” = “Here lived…”