The purpose of our trip to Germany was to lay Stolperstein ("stumbling block") stones in front of the store/apartment which was the last place my grandparents, Tobias and Betty Bachenheimer had lived as free citizens. Stolperstein are small stones, hand-made by artist Gunter Demnig, for each single victim of the Nazis. Although my father and two uncles escaped Germany, they too were victims, so we included stones for them as well. Gunter told us that he has put in over 25,000 stones so far.
The laying of our Stolpersteins had been set for noon on Saturday. Unfortunately, through some tight scheduling, we ended up getting there at 11:55. Upon arrival we observed about 30 people, including townspeople, elected officials, and numerous print and broadcast journalists. When we saw that the installation had begun, three of us burst into tears. (I can't wait to see those pictures from the newspaper.)
Gunter fit the stones into the cobblestone sidewalk in front of the building, adding a pebble that Ra'anan had brought from his father's grave in Israel. It was heartbreaking and poignant for all of us.
A couple of hours after laying the stones we attended a ceremony in a former church where a youth choir sang, Toby, Gina, Ra'anan, Idan and I read tributes, Herr Kaiser and Dr. Ernst Block* spoke. The whole time we were in Salzewedel we were treated like visiting diplomats.
Paste into your browser:
http://www.salzwedel.de/stadt/oeffentlichkeit/100626stolpersteinverlegung.html
If you hit “Translate” at the upper right, the article is rather comical.
*Dr. Block has written a painstakingly researched book about the Jews of Salzwedel entitled Wirwareneine Glückliche Familie . . . I have the book, which contains numerous Bachenheimer photographs and documents, including Uncle Kurt's picture on the front. The book is written in German.
Very excites
ReplyDeleteThank you for your touching post.
ReplyDeleteThanks both. Sydnee, how are you and John? Would love to hear from you at bonnie.bachenheimer@kyl.com.
ReplyDeleteI am the son of Ernst Jacobson, born in Hamburg, son of Else and nephew of, Margarete Jacob, nee Rosenbaum (1878-?) deported 1942 to Warszaw Getto
ReplyDeleteand Karl Jacob (1878 - ?) deported 1942 to Warszaw Getto.... we have been searching to find out where my dear aunt, Margarete finally met her death. Due to the wonderful work of the Stolpersteine Project, we have finally found closure, albeit, a horrible sadness! Ernst, my father, made it safely out of Germany and safely to Israel, where I, was born. We lost an entire generation of our family. We thank you from our hearts, dear Stolpersteine Project!
Last year we had Stolpersteines put into the sidewalk where my Mothers family, perished, Berlin. We would have loved to meet in Salzwedel, if we had known of the placements... do keep in touch? Michael Jacobsohn...
( dear Margarete, Else, and Karl you are in our hearts forever now and safe )New York, NY USA
... I know it says Addy Baxster, but i didn't publish my email...Our Aunt Margarete may have even known your relatives? My father, played there while staying in Salzwedel with his aunt Margarete...
ReplyDeleteactually, I returned to Salzwedel with my father, Ernst, Margarete who was born there in 1878, had owned her home, a beautiful building that was TAKEN from her, before being sent to the Warsaw ghetto...when we visited in the 1990s an Opticians business / family owned it......
ReplyDelete