Stumbling on the Stumbling Stones

Gunter Demning is a German artist who has made a name for himself installing stolpersteine (translation – stumbling stones) in front of the final residences of Holocaust victims. I was lucky enough to be invited to help set the stolpersteine for my great uncle and his wife in Tilburg in January 2014.

This past weekend I was looking online for a good picture of my great-grandparents’ stolpersteine in Wickrath, Germany. I was hoping to find one to include in Tutti’s Promise. I did find a picture, and when I went to its webpage I found an article that mentioned the Historical Society of Wickrath was going to be doing an Exhibition about the Spier family. Wow! The local historians were digging into my family history. I spent a little more time and was able to find a contact email and now I am in touch with the people who are organizing the exhibit. They have already sent me some pictures I have never seen before.

I believe Demning’s intention with the stolpersteine project was to remind us all to remember the dead and to remember the destruction that was wrought by the prejudice of the Nazis. I wonder if he knows that he is bringing people together, not only to share memories, but also to learn new things and make new friends.