Start with the stone itself. Show a child the small brass plate in the pavement, read the words aloud and let the child read the name. Then explain that a Stolperstein marks the last home that the person chose freely, before they had to move, go into hiding or were arrested. The stone says “here lived”, and that is the core of the explanation.
What the words on the stone say
Most stones begin with “HIER WOONDE” in Dutch, “HIER WOHNTE” in German or “ICI HABITAIT” in French. All three mean the same thing. After these words come the name, the year of birth and what happened to the person. Some stones say “here worked” or “here studied” instead. Explain the words one at a time. Older children can look up these words:
- geboren (Dutch) or né / née (French): born
- ondergedoken: went into hiding
- gearresteerd: arrested
- gedeporteerd: deported
- gevlucht: fled
- overleefd: survived
Why the stone is in front of a house
There are more than 100,000 Stolpersteine in about 30 European countries. One stone is for one person. Families get stones side by side, so they are together again in front of their home. Stones are also laid for people who survived, for example by fleeing or going into hiding, so that families are shown complete. Some stones lie in front of a school or workplace instead of a home. Explain that the stone is in the street because the person once lived or worked there.
Questions children ask
Answer questions honestly and briefly, and say when you do not know. A child may ask why some people walk around the stones. Most people do so once they notice a stone. Schoolchildren often attend layings with relatives and neighbours, where the names are read aloud. Not everyone agrees with the form, because the names lie on the ground where people walk. The artist Gunter Demnig intended that people bow to read the name. He says that people stumble with their head and their heart.
Search the map by street to find the stones near your home.
Read on
Stolpersteine in the classroom: a lesson or project
A short school lesson on Stolpersteine: read a stone, find its address on the map, research the person in archives and attend a laying.
What are the golden stones in the pavement?
The shiny squares are Stolpersteine, memorial stones for people persecuted by the Nazis. Each lies in front of the last home the person chose freely.
Brass plaques in sidewalks in Europe: what do they mean?
The small brass plaques in European sidewalks are Stolpersteine, memorial stones for people persecuted by the Nazis. They lie in about 30 European countries.
