A Stolperstein lies in front of the last home that the person chose freely, before they were forced to move, go into hiding or were arrested. Sometimes a stone lies in front of a workplace or school instead. The stone is placed on the public pavement, in front of that building, flush with the surface.
Why this house
The place follows from the person's own life. Local volunteers research that life in archives before a stone is requested. They also look for relatives, and many relatives ask for a stone themselves. The municipality is asked for permission after that.
One stone for each person
One stone is for one person. Families get stones side by side, so that they are together again in front of their home. Because the stones lie flush with the pavement, visitors bend down to read the name.
Permission, and what happens to a stone
The pavement is public ground, so the municipality must give permission before a stone can be laid. A stone is laid in a small ceremony, often with relatives, neighbours and schoolchildren. Names are read and flowers are often laid. If a stone is damaged, stolen or removed during roadworks, the local Stolpersteine group or the municipality should be told. Then the stone can be put back or replaced.
Stumbling thresholds
Where very many people were victims, the project uses a Stolperschwelle, a long brass strip with one text for the whole group.
On the map of Stolpersteine.app you can search by name, street or city, and see who is commemorated at an address.
Read on
Who gets a Stolperstein, and which victims are commemorated?
Stolpersteine honour people persecuted by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945, including Jews, Sinti and Roma, and people persecuted for political reasons.
How many Stolpersteine are there, and in which countries?
There are more than 100,000 Stolpersteine, in about 30 European countries. In the Netherlands and Belgium together there are more than 15,600 of them.
In which countries are there Stolpersteine?
Stolpersteine lie in about 30 European countries, among them Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Here is how the project started and spread.
