The Stolpersteine: the world’s project of Holocaust commemoration

110,000 Stolpersteine. In 1800 cities. In 31 countries.

One of these 1,800 cities: Munich, with 276 Stolpersteine.

Each Stolperstein commemorates a victim of the Holocaust: Jew, gay, Sinti and Roma and others.

Each is placed in front of the victim’s home.

So that each person passing by can learn about the victims, their fate – and the lesson of their lives: what Antisemitism, racism and hate lead to.

Each Stolperstein is, in the words of Rabbi Tom Kucera of Beth Shalom Munich: „a Yad Vashem. Each Stolperstein gives a name and a place to a person who was persecuted and killed.“

The Stolpersteine have changed commemoration and society.

Commemoration used to be restricted to trips to concentration camps by survivors and politicians and school classes.

Commemoration is now something that is happening every second of every minute of every day. Everywhere the Holocaust took place. By every single person „stumbling“ over the Stolpersteine („stumbling blocks“ in Germany) with their eyes and their hearts and their minds and their souls.

And that is everybody in Germany.