The artist
The artist Gunter Demnig has created a special work of art called "Stumbling Stones". These stones are intended to make us think symbolically, but not actually trip us up. Instead of simply walking past, we stop and pause. To read the inscription on the stones, we have to bend our head downwards. This gesture shows respect, awareness, appreciation and remembrance.
Since 1995, Gunter Demnig has laid more than 100,000 small concrete stones with brass plaques in over 1,000 cities in Germany and many other European countries. These stones are placed on the sidewalk in front of the victims' last place of residence. The inscription contains information about the person's name, age and route to escape or death.
Criticism
However, there was also criticism of the project early on. Charlotte Knobloch, the then President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, found it "intolerable" to read the names of murdered Jews on plaques that were embedded in the ground and stepped on. She said that this desecrated and defiled the memory of the victims. However, the then Vice President of the Central Council of Jews, Salomon Korn, was in favor of the project.
SZ of April 13, 2004
Other critics fear that with the extensive focus on the victims, the question of the perpetrators will be forgotten.
Our position
We, the members of the "Bischofsheim Remembers Working Group", know that there is this discussion. However, we have made a conscious decision to lay stumbling blocks. In doing so, we want to give the victims their names back in the spirit of Gunter Demnig.
If possible, we will contact their families beforehand and ask for their consent. At the same time, however, we do not want to lose sight of the perpetrators.