Memorial Stones

World War II ended 60 years ago. These children were murdered in 1944. They hadn’t done anything deserving of this fate–they were innocent children who happened to be Jewish. Some of them have family members who remember them. For others, everyone who was related to them also perished. Who can remember them?

This bothered German artist Gunter Demnig, who began placing stumbling stones or Stolpersteine, brass plates that are inscribed with the name and dates of those who the Nazis murdered. The stones are placed on the sidewalk outside the victim’s last place of residence. Some have argued that placing memorial stones on the sidewalk is disrespectful. The faces of these people and the flowers being laid don’t look irreverent to me!

Remembering

In my case, Nazis took my father’s cousins, Meriam, Edith, and Hansje Wallig, from de Viersprong in Driebergen on January 6, 1944. They also took many other Jewish children. One of them was my dad’s special friend, Keetje van Zanten. She escaped from the room and begged Dad to hide her. He couldn’t, and he never forgot.

As part of my research for Unforgivable, the story of Dad’s life, I found the Jewish memorial in the nearby park, but it wasn’t easy. I am very glad about the memorial stones placed right outside the home where the children spent their last days. The place where Hanje took his first steps. This is the place where Meriam discussed her fears with Dad. It is the place where Keetje played the piano. We won’t forget you all.