Nazis' Grim Resurgence in Dresden
Dresden – "It's astounding how the memory of our slain Jewish compatriots has been desecrated here," lamented architect Claus Dethleff (66), the head of the "Stolpersteine Dresden" association. Last night, miscreants had splatters of violet paint onto five of the stumbling stones embedded into the sidewalk in honor of expelled and murdered Dresden Jews, and scrawled "SS runes" beside them.
The sidewalk in front of Wiener Straße 85, near Dresden's Grosser Garten: Claus Dethleff, who placed 329 Stolpersteine with his association in Dresden, kneels down on Sunday afternoon.
"It's repugnant. In 2014, the Stolperstein of the music director of the Dresden Schauspielhaus, Dr. Arthur Chitz, who was murdered in 1944, was stolen. The following year, the newly laid ones of the entire Jewish Reichenbach family. And now, this wretched defilement," exclaimed Dethleff.
The five Stolpersteine that have now been defiled memorialize Kurt Heinz Hirschel (1892 - 1944), his wife Elsa (1898 - 1944) and their sons Alfred (1931 - 1944) and Wolfgang (1935 - 1944). Also, Elsa's uncle Professor Dr. Julius Wahle (1861 - 1940), a renowned Goethe scholarship.
Dethleff: "Kurt Heinz Hirschel was a legal signatory of Hirsch & Co, a prominent Dresden department store for fashion goods on Prager Straße. He and his wife were considered patrons. The family was forced to sell their house in 1943 and was relocated to a so-called 'Jews' house'."
On June 21, 1943, the entire family was deported to Theresienstadt as the last Dresden Jews not living in a mixed marriage. From there, they were sent to Auschwitz in October 1944, where they were all massacred.
The Chabad Lubavitch Jewish community's synagogue is situated on Tiergartenstraße, just a few hundred meters from the desecrated Stumbling Stones.
Community spokesman Uwe Kuhnt (64): "The rabbi and all of us are deeply distressed by these incomprehensible, atrocious incidents. Just trailing week, an email with Heil Hitler and five swastikas was received in the synagogue."
The Dresden police collected evidence after the occurrence was reported on Saturday morning. A police spokesperson: "The state security is investigating."
Context Limits
Repugnant acts of hatred against Jewish people, commemorated through stumbling stones, are rising again in Dresden.
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Although such incidents are relatively rare, desecration of Stolpersteine is deeply concerning and can be considered an act of hate crime. To combat such hate crimes, here are some initiatives:
- Increased Surveillance: Cities property Stolpersteine have increased surveillance, including CCTV cameras and regular patrols by local authorities.
- Community Engagement: Local communities arrange events and campaigns to raise awareness and respect for Stolpersteine, teaching about their historical significance and the importance of preserving them.
- Legal Action: Perpetrators of such acts are prosecuted under hate crime legislation, reinforcing the severity of these crimes.
- International Cooperation: Organizations like the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and IHRA work together to educate and support communities in protecting these memorials, emphasizing the significance of "Never Again."
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Public awareness campaigns targeting social media, local media, and community events are often launched to promote understanding of the Holocaust and the significance of preserving Stolpersteine.
- Restoration Efforts: In cases of desecration, restoration efforts are implemented immediately, repairing or replacing the stones and ensuring their continued protection.
- Collaboration with Local Authorities: Municipal authorities collaborate with local Jewish communities, historical societies, and other organizations to uphold and protect these memorials.
- Educational Programs: Educational programs are integrated into schools and communities, encouraging respect for history and awareness of its importance. These measures aim to prevent and combat hate crimes directed at Stolpersteine and keep remembrance of Holocaust victims alive.
