Recently I learned that there would be a Stolperstein laid in a town not far from us, and I knew I wanted to be there. And by being present I met some wonderful people.
I have told
many friends, family and students about the Stolpersteine project and the
people memorialized through it. Stolpersteine are always a part of the
tours I give in Esslingen, Tübingen, Ulm and Berlin.
First let
me tell you a little about the project:
Michael
Friedrichs-Friedländer is the sculptor who creates each Stolperstein by hand in his studio in Berlin-Pankow. Each letter
and each date is pressed into the plague individually. Mass or machine
production is out of the question.
Gunter
Demnig cites the Talmud saying that "a person is only forgotten when his
or her name is forgotten". The Stolpersteine
in front of the buildings bring back to memory the people who once lived or studied there.
Each “stone” begins with HERE LIVED or HERE LEARNED… One “stone”. One name. One person.
Now to
Hedwig Levi. Her story is not mine to tell, but all the info I can find about
her online is in German and I’d like to tell a little about her in English. Her
story was told at the ceremony while the current owner of the house and her son
placed her Stolperstein. Afterwards the organizers handed out pamphlets
(put together by the Jewish Community in Rexingen) in German and English to
those gathered.
Hedwig was
born in Rexingen (the small town not far from us) on August 7, 1879. She
married Alfred Levi from Rexingen in 1909 and they lived in his parents’ house
in the town, in front of which the Stolperstein was laid on October 30,
2022. Their only child, Irene, was born in 1914. After Alfred died, Irene moved
in with her mother to help her for a few years. Irene became engaged to Helmut
Kahn, who emigrated to the U.S. in 1939. After Kristallnacht in November
1938 Irene moved back in with her mother out of concern for her safety, and at
that time she was preparing for her emigration to the U.S. to join Helmut. From
there she tried to arrange her mother’s immigration but was unsuccessful,
something which plagued Irene the rest of her life.
Hedwig sold
her house in Spring of 1940 as her health was failing, but she was pleased to
learn of Irene and Helmut’s marriage later that year. Hedwig spent time in the
hospital in Horb in January 1941, but after returning home her health had not
improved. Three days after sending her last postcard to her niece in Brussels
and with no prospect for better health or escaping from Germany, Hedwig took
her own life. She is buried in the Jewish cemetery in Rexingen.
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| the house in Rexingen |
Hedwig’s
granddaughter, Hazel K., her two daughters, Alison and Jessica, and son-in-law Brent
had flown in from the U.S., and family members from the Kahn side, now living
in Switzerland, attended as well. Another honored guest was Ursula R., who
still lives just down the street from Hedwig’s house and was the only person
present who had known Hedwig.
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| Hazel's family with Simon and Davorka in the middle and Ursula just behind in the chair |
My intent
was to stay in the background, take in the experience and take some photos, but
I did introduce myself to Hazel and Jessica, thanked them for the touching
remarks they delivered to those gathered, and offered to help translate as the
Americans and the locals chatted with each other.
The current
owner of Hedwig’s house, Davorka P., moved to Germany from Croatia. When she
and her husband were contacted and asked if they would be open to a Stolperstein
for Hedwig being placed in front of their home, they not only welcomed it but
said they would do the cementing of the stone themselves. It was Davorka and
her son, Simon, who did this while the organizers spoke about Hedwig.
I was able
to provide translation help as Davorka answered some questions about her and
her family’s story as well. After doing so, Hazel’s son-in-law invited me to
join their small gathering for lunch in Rexingen’s former Synagogue. I sat with
Hazel’s daughters and we had a lovely chat! Horb’s Bürgermeister was at the
table on one side of us and on the other was a man who said to me, “I think
we’ve met. Aren’t you the one with [tapping his arm] the bird?” LOL We had met
on the Marktplatz two days earlier when Kaya and I had gone for a walk in
town.
Rabbi Brent
and I spoke about why Stolpersteine are not welcomed in every community
and about the very different ways in which Germany and the U.S. face the demons
of their past.
I felt very
honored and grateful to be included in the lunch and pleased to make a
connection with this lovely family.
The artist Gunter
Demnig cites the Talmud as an inspiration for the Stolperstein project
he started, saying that "a person is only forgotten when his or her name
is forgotten". Now Hedwig Levi’s name and story will not be forgotten.
