Stolpersteine
It is a project against forgetting: 379 "Stumbling Stones" have already given people in Chemnitz pause for thought. Embedded in the pavement, the memorial stones commemorate the tragic fates of people who were persecuted, deported, murdered, driven to their deaths or forced to flee during the National Socialist regime. 10 x 10 cm small brass plaques on the stones provide information about the names and most important dates in the lives of these people and mark their last places of residence or work.
<p"Stolperstein"-Laying on 6 May 2026
On 6 May 2026, 19 more Stolpersteine were laid in Chemnitz to commemorate people who were victims of the National Socialist regime.
Mayor Ralph Burghart opened the day at the site at Eulitzstraße 7, where a Stolperstein was laid for Hanna Luise Sachs, née Cohn. Her daughter Tana Sachs was also present and spoke emotional words. She was born in Chemnitz in 1938, making her one of the last Jewish children born in Chemnitz during the Holocaust.</p
alle Verlegeorte und Steine der Stolpersteinverlegung am 6. Mai 2026
The "Stumbling Stones" project
The "Stolpersteine" project goes back to the Cologne artist Gunter Demnig. He conceived the "Stolpersteine" in 1993 and was able to lay the first memorial stones in Cologne just one year later.
There are now over 43,500 "Stolpersteine" in more than 1,000 places in Germany and Europe in memory of the victims.
One of the aims is to give the victims of the National Socialist regime, who were degraded to numbers in the concentration camps, their names back. Bending down to read the texts on the Stumbling Stones is also intended as a symbolic bow to the victims.
Gunter Demnig, who has been honoured many times for his project, received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Jewish History Award from the Obermayer Foundation in 2005.
Become a sponsor
The Stumbling Stones are financed by sponsors. The city of Chemnitz is responsible for the civil engineering work and organisational services.
Any citizen can sponsor the construction and laying of a stumbling stone for 120 euros. Please send enquiries directly to stolpersteine(at)stadt-chemnitz.de or to the Chemnitz City Association of the VVN/BdA.
Stumbling Stones in Chemnitz
All Stumbling Stone Layings in Chemnitz
In Chemnitz, the Association of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime - League of Anti-Fascists Chemnitz VVN/BdA took the initiative to lay Stumbling Stones in the city of Chemnitz in November 2005. The first six memorial stones were laid on 6 July 2007.
Previous Stumbling Stone Layings in Chemnitz
Brochure
The "Stumbling Stones in Chemnitz" brochure provides an overview of the laying of stumbling stones in the city, information on how to sponsor a stumbling stone and tells the life stories of exemplary Chemnitz citizens who were persecuted during the National Socialist era.
The brochure is available in printed form at the town hall.
Project organiser
The VVN/BdA is the sponsor of the project and is responsible for the content of the work, contact for suggestions of people to be honoured and looks after the sponsors.
The organisational preparations and the laying of the memorial stones are coordinated by a project group of the city administration under the patronage of Lord Mayor Sven Schulze.