Stepping on a Stolperstein by accident is not regarded as an offence by the project. The stones lie flush with the pavement, so people walk over them. Most people step around them once they notice them. Whether walking over them is disrespectful is a question on which people do not agree.
Gunter Demnig, the German artist who had the idea in 1992, says that you do not trip over the stones physically. You stumble with your head and your heart. To read the name, you have to bow. Stolperstein is German for 'stumbling stone'.
A stone lies in front of the last home the person chose freely, before they were forced to move, go into hiding or were arrested. Sometimes it is a workplace or school instead. At a laying, which is often a small ceremony with relatives, neighbours and schoolchildren, names are read aloud and flowers are often laid. Demnig often quotes a saying from the Talmud: a person is only forgotten when his or her name is forgotten.
What supporters say
Supporters answer that walking past is not disrespect. They say that bowing to read the name is the point of the stone. Many relatives also ask for stones themselves.
Why the form is disputed
Not everyone agrees with the form. Charlotte Knobloch, long-time head of the Jewish community of Munich, objects that the names of victims lie on the ground where people walk over them. She is the best-known critic of the project.
What you can do
To read the text, bow down to the stone. The text usually begins with '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. If a stone is damaged, tell the local group or the municipality.
Since 2019, Stichting 18 September in Eindhoven has kept a database of Stolpersteine in the Netherlands and Belgium. For many years Demnig laid most stones himself. If you know more about a person, such as a photo, a story or a correction, you can send it to the foundation at [email protected].
Find the stones near you on the map of Stolpersteine.app.
Read on
What do the Dutch words on a Stolperstein mean?
Dutch stones use short words such as gedeporteerd, vermoord and ondergedoken. This guide explains what they mean, so you can read the text on a stone.
What do the German words on a Stolperstein mean?
German stones use short words such as Jg., deportiert and ermordet. This guide explains what they mean, so you can read the text on a Stolperstein.
What do the French words on a pavé de mémoire mean?
French stones use words such as né, arrêté, déporté and assassiné. This guide explains what they mean, so you can read the text on a pavé de mémoire.
