Memorial event in Heinsberg: Stumbling blocks are reminiscent of Jewish life

Memorial event in Heinsberg: Stumbling blocks are reminiscent of Jewish life

Hochstraße 112-114, 52525 Heinsberg, Deutschland - In Heinsberg, a moving exhibition was opened on November 7, which is reminiscent of the dark past of the Reichspogromnacht from 1938. The "Stumbling Stones in Heinsberg" show at 24 places in the city, where a total of 86 commemorative stones were laid to honor the fate of former Jewish citizens who suffered from National Socialism. These stones are more than just memories - they are memorials against forgetting and stand for the victims of displacement, deportation and murder

The initiative for the exhibition comes from Jakob Gerards, the former first deputy of the city, and city guide Helmut Hawinkels. At the opening, Ulrich Lowis from Volksbank Heinsberg thanked the two for their commitment and recalled the program night 86 years ago. Helmut Hawinkels then illuminated the Jewish life in Heinsberg, while students from the Heinsberg Realschule, Asma Kajeh and Arman Singh, presented a poem that they had developed with their teacher in class. The event was accompanied by musical performances by the Heinsberg youth music school, which underlined the emotional atmosphere with impressive pieces.

personal stories and warnings

The contribution by Marianne Pel from Haarlem, who shared her personal experience in researching the stumbling blocks, was particularly moving. In his lecture, Jakob Gerards spoke "against forgetting" about the reasons for his commitment and warned of the increasing anti -Semitic tendencies in Germany. He appealed to those present to stay vigilant and show civil courage in order to counter such developments. The exhibition can be seen until November 29, 2024 at Volksbank Heinsberg eG, Hochstraße 112-114, and is supported by an accompanying booklet that documents all stumbling blocks in Heinsberg.