Anyone may clean a Stolperstein, and no permission is needed. A Stolperstein is a concrete block of about 10 by 10 by 10 centimetres with a brass plate on top. The brass tarnishes outdoors: it turns brown and then dark. In busy streets, shoes polish the stones. Elsewhere they need cleaning. A clean plate makes the text easier to read. In Dutch, people often say 'struikelsteen' for the same stone.
Read the text before you start. A stone usually begins 'HIER WOHNTE' in German, 'HIER WOONDE' in Dutch or 'ICI HABITAIT' in French, meaning 'here lived'. Then come the name, the year of birth and what happened. The text is stamped into the brass by hand, letter by letter, so the letters need care. The stones lie flush with the pavement, so you will kneel to clean them.
What you need
- A brass or copper polish, for example Brasso.
- A soft cloth and a second, clean cloth.
- An old toothbrush for the letters.
- Water, to rinse or wipe away residue.
- A kneeling pad, which helps while you work on the stone.
Cleaning the brass
Put a small amount of polish on the soft cloth. Do not put it directly on the stone. Rub the brass plate with the cloth. Let the polish dry for about a minute. Then polish the plate with the clean cloth. Use the old toothbrush to reach the letters. Rinse the plate, or wipe away any residue with water.
Heavy dirt
For heavy dirt, first clean the plate with an all-purpose cleaner and a scouring sponge. For limescale, use vinegar. Then polish as described above. Do not use steel wool, wire brushes or harsh acids. They scratch the brass.
If the stone is damaged
Clean the stone at least once a year, and more often if you can. If a stone is damaged, stolen or removed during roadworks, tell the local Stolpersteine group or the municipality. They can put the stone back or replace it.
There is also a free app for iPhone and Android. Search by name, street or city on the map of Stolpersteine.app to find the stone you want to clean.
Read on
When do people clean Stolpersteine? Which days, how often?
Anyone may clean a Stolperstein, and no permission is needed. Clean each stone at least once a year. Common dates are 27 January, 4 May and 9 November.
Why are Stolpersteine made of brass, and why do they turn dark?
A Stolperstein is a concrete block with a brass plate on top. Outdoors the brass turns brown and then dark. Here is how to clean a stone.
A Stolperstein is damaged, stolen or gone: what to do
If a Stolperstein is damaged, stolen or removed, tell the local Stolpersteine group or the municipality. Here is how to clean a dirty stone.
