Holocaust survivor Max Mannheimer said "You are not responsible for what happened, but you do have responsibility to ensure that it doesn't happen again."
There is an other aspect with the stumbling stones: to be able to read the text you have either bend your knee or to bow your head. Both are signs of respect. I think that is the idea of setting these stones in the ground.
Of course you can just walk over it. But no Neon color sign on the wall would have the same effect. First you need permission of the owner of the house, instead on a boardwalk it's public property. Then it's a memorial, a Denkmal, (denk einmal darüber nach) a mental cobblestone. Sure with a nationalistic mentality you might urinate over it, God forbid, but as you walk over it you do remember, every now and then. No wonder it's banned in Munich, it would be all over on loads of places.
@@sisuguillam5109 back in the day the Nazis called Munich the "capital of the movement", because here the Nazi party started in the 1920s and Hitler lived there. He gathered a huge number of followers there with his speeches in the Bürgerbräukeller, which was a big location for political events together with the consumption of lots of beer. Also in Munich Hitler initiated a coup to overthrow the bavarian government, but miserably failed. This led to his imprisonment in Landsberg, where he then wrote his book "Mein Kampf"
I'm a German living in Hamburg where, as you might expect, we have a lot of those. There's one right next to the entrance of my building. I even greet 'Ernst' when walking by, and NEVER step on these stones. Just my way of paying respect.
I also live in Hamburg. I have the impression that just about everyone is paying attention not to step on one of those. It feels wrong, like if you would walk all over a grave...just a lot worse as those people have suffered so much.
In high school, we were once visited by a Holocaust survivor who told his story. After he was done, everyone was deeply touched and some people were crying. He asked us: "Why are your crying?" and we answered: "Because we feel so sorry for what happened, for all the pain this caused, we feel sorry for being German." And he just looked at us and told us: "You shouldn't be sorry for being German. You should be proud. You should be grateful, to have that opportunity and responsibility, to not let something like this happen again." That day really changed my and many of my fellow students' life.
Bei uns war das genauso. Wir haben als Klasse 3 Jahre hintereinander die Stolpersteine unserer Stadt geputzt und am 07.11. jedes Jahr Reden über die einzelnen Ermordeten gehalten. Ich lebe leider in einer der wenigen Städte, die als Versuchsstädte für die Kristallnacht verwendet wurde, weil es damals eine 80%ige Bereitschaft gab, die NSDAP zu wählen. Das bedeutet, dass sich die Kristallnacht in unserer Stadt bereits einen Tag vorher ereignete als im restlichen Deutschland. Deshalb fand ich es besonders wichtig, andere Klassen der Schule und Passant*innen mit Rundgängen durch die Stadt zu informieren. Leider habe ich dieses Jahr die Schule gewechselt, aber ich hoffe, dass dieser wichtige Gedenktag von anderen Klassen fortgesetzt wurde...
Being proud of stuff you have no influence on just sounds nonsensical to me. Pride should only be a response to something YOU are responsible for imo. It’s literally 100% random where people come from. I’ll never understand how people take pride in that
German here I was lucky enough to be present when the "Stolpersteine" or stumbling stones were set in my city and meet the artist. I just want to leave one quote from the artist with you all: He said that his favourite quote that he heard was "when you see these stones in the ground you are meant to stumble with your hearts"
If it wouldn't be so unsafe I would love for them to be reaching out of the ground a bit to be literally "stumbling" stones ... that make you fall/fail if you dont respect/remember/notice them.
my mom’s uncle was killed in a concentration camp. He had refused to send his children to Hitler Youth meetups. A Stolperstein is set in front of the family’s home and it gives me goosebumps every time I visit my relatives.
@@Muexxxor Apparently you know my family better than I do. Who are you? A relative I haven’t met yet? Do you think his children and grand-children were lying? Do you know the real story? Where do I find it? I have so many questions now. Can we talk? LMAO
@@Muexxxor wait? So you're not a relative? I'm sad now. I was really hoping you could tell me more about my family. I'm really confused. I read the trial papers and his prison sentence and I've also seen the death certificate. What else is there to do? You think he started the war and nobody told me? You think he killed a nation? He was never a soldier because he was the owner of a Dairy shop. Do you think he poisened the milk?
@@SabineThinkerbellum it is a Qanon follower or some right winger trying to relativate the crimes done in that time. You always find these weirdos in the comment section. Just ignore it.
@@HumanistGordian Ignoring is not an option. Relativazing crimes committed during the Nazi regime is a criminal offense in Germany and will be prosecuted with a possible sentence of up to 3 years in prison or a hefty fine. I notified RUclips about this user.
It would be very refreshing if Americans would be as thoughtful, humble, and honest about our own history as Germans are about theirs. Too many are ignorant about all of the US‘s crimes against humanity. Recommendation- an older book called Lies My Teacher Never Told Me. A real eye-opener for anyone who went to elementary and high school in the US.
@@siyacer While most of my once compatriots don't really recognize the problem, or go into a full denial. Last Saturday was a Holodomor Commemoration Day.
@پیاده نظام خان If it were American elites alone, it would have been great. But no, there appears to be a large proportion of American population simply blinded by their perceived superiority. Universal healthcare? No! Social programs = socialism = communism = atheism = satanism! Bad! Tuition free education? Same thing! I would have never thought that in US they don't have universal healthcare, like that of Germany or Israel or Japan. And yet, it seems that a sizable (though thankfully ever shrinking) part of the US population would rather see people in need die or be enslaved by never-ending loans with interest rather then fall to a "tyranny" of better health for everyone, and call this "freedom".
@@Sophie-vw5ol I have to say, of historians out there I prefer the German ones. The lesson has been learned by them: history is facts as they are, not as one wants them to be.
I feel like, the Stolpersteine are like a bit of gravestones brought right into the middle of where their lifes were put to a halt. A plaque seems more like "yeah, a thing happened, whatever, let me give you a boring history lecture". The Stolpersteine however, force bypasser to tribute them some respect, because it would be really disrespectful to step on them and people would judge you for that, so you are forced to take notice and actively not step on them.
... Though I recommend to visit the Jewish Museum and on the other hand the "Topographie des Terrors" - if you happen to come to Berlin. The latter gives you an insight into how the terror of the Nazis worked in practice and in detail, the first one shows the history of Jewish life and culture in Berlin over the centuries. The Stolpersteine are reminding us everywhere every day about this part of German history and it's a brilliant idea I think. So all three "elements" together make the most sense to me as you understand how much those singled out and murdered were not strangers but a part of our culture and society. Never forget!
Exactly my thoughts, and... wherever you go and find those stones, you never see people stepping on them, so Munich aouthorities can really lower their panic and put the signs off the walls and put them on the floor again because only then you lower your head in order to read them and deeply bow to the people who got taken away by the fascists.
@@Freddsche Well, I mean, the jewish community of munich has expressed their wish, that it should be done with plaques on wallds, insted of blocks on the ground, so that's something that should be accepted. But elsewhere, there seems to be no diagreement on the side of jewish communities outside of munich of how it's done. So, I guess that's just how it is, munich does it differently and that's fine too.
I’m a third generation German Turk and and all I wish for Turkish people to acknowledge the Armenian genocide and open up about it as well as educate about it as Germany does with the Holocaust. A few years ago, I had an appointment with my new dentist. He asked me if I believed in the Armenian genocide. I said “yes, 100%. Just imagine what it would be like if we Germans denied the Holocaust”. Cause that’s what Turkey does with its own past. Denying their mistakes and a whole genocide. I hope someday Turkish citizens can swallow down their pride and open up about their past as Germans do.
For a long time (especially during my teenage years) I've believed the Armenian genocide was just a slander made by Armenians to show themselves as victims to the world and ascribe the blame to the "great history of Turkey". I was lucky enough to use my brain and be open to a discussion in history class, which has led me to seek enlightenment. I now find myself in a deep rabbit hole with many other names of genocidal events on Turkish soil. Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds from Dersim, Alevis from Maraş/Çorum/Madimak, and Greek victims of the Istanbul Pogrom, are parts of today's Turkey. Denying the truth, advocating ignorance, and spreading conceit will always pull this country down, due to its blindness and repetition of history. As in today, there is still a present witch-hunt happening since 2013. However, like always people choose to turn their heads in the opposite direction.
Oh, how much I love this comment section. I was born in Germany in 1984. Due to the internet I got in contact with a lot of international folks, esp. during my teenage years. I'll never forget this British guy sayin "you are German, so you were born with hatred in your blood" to me. I was a 16 y/o girl. There was no reason for him to say it, just me being German kinda triggered him. It still haunts me to this day, like the black street vendor in Rome, who screamed "Nazi" over and over to me when all I did was getting my friend, who had not much money at that time and a problem to say 'no' away from him. I could see how miserable she was and went over to her, tell her to just come with me and ignore him. I didn't talk to him, I talked to her, in German. Everybody was looking at me when this black guy called me a Nazi. I could see and feel their disgust. They might assume I did say something racist to him but I did exactly nothing. This memory sometimes still brings tears up. Those kind and respectful words from all over the world let the pain these incidents induced in me fade a bit. Thank you all. Let's never forget what happened, let us do all we can to prevent it from happening again. But stop blaming others for the sins their ancestors committed so you don't have to look at yourself and your own actions.
Yeah, I can relate to this a lot. I'm a bit younger, and got onto the internet quite young, but the hatred against german people was insane. As soon as I mentioned I were german, i instantly got called nazi or racist and stuff like that, and it really made me mad all the time since i was the exact opposite. Videos like these kinda fuel my hope in people again, and are so needed. I love it.
I relate to this so much. I‘m German but grew up and live in another country, and it’s insane how many „Fucking Nazi“ comments I‘ve gotten over the years. The worst part is that when I tell other people about it, they are surprised. Like, they have no idea how much hate I‘m getting simply because I‘m German.
@@kajsakonigk1982 yeah its ridiculous. As if we were born to be nazi just because were germans xD Germans can simply not be anything else, it seems. The people before hitler weren't german, couldnt be, they werent nazis!!!! so dumb. We are not at fault for what happened, we are responsible for what is happening now and in the future, but not stuff we couldnt influence in the past especially since we didnt even were ALIVE back then
Nick, I'm from The Netherlands and the "Stolpersteine" are in my city too. I have the feeling this video came from your heart. It's not only German history. It's the worlds terrible history and we need to teach it to all kids of the world. Well done, I enjoyed it a lot.
That's right. What happened in Germany could and can happen anywhere in the world. In fact, it has happened in many, many places around the world. Not to the same extent as in Germany, but very similar crimes. We should deeply remember the Holocaust as a fall from mankind and respond to it with kindness, compassion and education every day.
@@rolanddeschain6089 It also did not just happen in Germany. WWII and the holocaust is not just 'german history' nor did it just happen in Germany. Though the burden of responsibility is not on them, with many of the victims coming from other countries, and many of the camps built in other countries, it is a horrible part of European and ultimately World History. It's not just that 'very similar crimes' happened in other places. The Holocaust committed by Germans and their allies happened IN Poland, IN France, IN Belarus...all over Europe. It is part of their history as much as ours.
111RobinHood You call yourself Robin Hood? LOL... False propaganda from right wing activism, reported. Spread your bs in you cellar, alone, so you don‘t do harm. Disgusting to find this under such a video which is showing up exactly how you should do it: respectfully, remembering the victims - and not spreading lies from the depths of your internet rabbit hole.
@@kaitomikusmom3900 looks like you reporting them worked! The comment is gonna and their name is not linked in your comment, so I assume it got deleted, too. Thank you!
German here: in 2012 I went late (10pm on a saturday) to a house party in the southern outskirts of Hamburg: Loud music, alcohol galore, some weed, dancing, passionate cuddeling, etc.... Around 7 am I was waiting outside for my buddy to catch the next subway(S-Bahn). Meanwhile I discovered 4 of those "Stolpersteine" right before the entrance of the building: A father, a mother and 2 kids... took some time to get it, but in the end it hit me: 80 years prior those people may also had a party in this building and shortly afterwards they were send onto a oneway trip to death. That Sunday was no funday. There was some indirect grief that hit me had on that day. Therefore: Never Again!
Germans talk so much about never again and not repeating all the authoritarian bullshit, however, since two years this country is hell. Not because of its tyrannical government, because its a western phenomenon nowadays everywhere, but the fascist ways people are acting. Segregating others and preaching it, calling for the cancelation of people's basic human rights and worst of all, the german media. The amount of racism and further discrimination I had to endure in the last year by regular people, not some NPD or AfD plebs, I mean normal people and even some so-called leftist from the Grünen and SPD, is not only astonishing, but it also clearly shows the bloody hypocrisy that is going on. Now, we know the regular answer of germans from left to right: ''Oh you foreigner, get the fuck out then!'' Well, no. My great-great parents teached me what they have seen in WW2, how they fought against the nazis and kicked their asses. How they continued fighting communists and socialists. How the provided a future of peace for europeans by destroying the nazis and halting the communist russians from genociding europe. To leave would mean to spit on my ancestors hard work and blood. But most importantly, I'M disapointed that germans are once again being so easily manipulated by tax parasites and pure ''Hetze''. All the talk about not repeating and jews has no value, when the people who gifted you your freedom and wealth, and the people germans persecuted, the jews, see through the facade of hypocrisy. For some reason, most decent germans left this country in the last years and I never understood why. Now I must feel why...
@@buuuuuuurn-the-heretic Comparing a lockdown as an attempt to stop an epidemic of a potentially lethal and highly contagious disease to the systematic destruction of a group of people because of their ancestry is just wrong.
At school, more than 35 years ago, we've learnt not to say "Kristallnacht" because it would be an euphemism and an insult towards the jewish people. Kristall (=crystal) implies that the night was shining, glittering and beautiful. What it was absolutely not. The expression we were taught to use is "Reichspogromnacht". I've never used Kristallnacht ever since. Really like your films and views, showing me my home country through your eyes: from the inside as well as from the outside. Best wishes!
Schools in the US actually use the German term "Kristallnacht" when they teach about the event, so even though it is not appropriate for a German audience, it's still the word/ term that the US viewers are used to hearing the most. Unfortunately, it seems to be very difficult to get US schools to update their curricula.
@@yomintyfresh I do understand. I think the term "Kristallnacht" was about to change in the 1970s , so, well, USA, you are not so far behind, esp. bc it is a term used by the time back then during 3rd Reich. But the different use shall show the change of perspective. By the way, in 1982 the Cologne band BAP had a Song called "Kristallnaach"(Cologne dialect for Kristallnacht). Read more about it on Wikipedia. The article is also available in English. Take care!
@@brigitteoesterle662, I believe Americans are not able to pronounce the word "Reichsprogromnacht" properly, it's a tongue twister, I write that with respect not to diminish someone or anything,
@@Therawpy You are absolutely right, even for Germans it is one! In both the terms is "-nacht" which is a challenge for any non German speaker. I totally can understand the use of Kristallnacht, just wanted to add the term Reichspogromnacht to the discussion and the point of view behind it.
Jedes Wort hat seine 2 Seiten. Every word can have multiple meanings. For me Kristallnacht has nothing shining, glittering and beautiful because i know exactly what it depicts.
I think most countrys have a relative healthy relationship with history. Just some take it abit to far like germany and some ignore it to much like Russia.
I am American, born in Washington, DC - but I am also a German-American and German is my first language. I lived 30 years in Germany and I love Germany. Your video made me cry. I wish that the US would adopt this custom, too. Instead, many of our countrymen still vilify the minorities that were mistreated in the past. I live in SE Florida and there is no remorse for what was done to the natives of our region. People grumble that the Miccosukee run a successful hotel with restaurants and a casino on their land. After all that the US has done to make their lives miserable, this is hypocritical. People still treat the descendants of black slaves disrespectfully and our country still illegally occupies Hawaiʻi and permits many native Hawaiians to be homeless. Germans have learned from their disgraceful past - most Americans have not.
@ that somehow being conquered justifies genocide and land theft just because others have done it. That Blacks have more rights than whites. And that because some native people had cannibal rites this justifies them being dislodged from their lands.
@ When were Hawaian people cannibals? Please tell me, im curios. I study this and they were pretty advanced. But if you are in such a "We are better than these wild people"-bubble, Im afraid I cannot help you. And Indian culture died not completely, but it isnt really alife today, too. How could it, if you say to nomads "This is now your land, stay here".
@ it is also ridiculous to say that black people have more rights than whites. There is still a lot of racism in the world that actually lessens chances for people of colour. There are still targeted attacks on people of colour. There is still hatred against people of colour. What you are saying is like saying "jewish people do not face hatred and violence". Just don't say these things please. Genocide, racism, sexism and discrimination is never ok, BUT it is also still existant!!! Denying that is a lie.
@@ayodejiolowokere1076 There was No Land theft. It was war they lost, if you can't protect it Its not yours. Period... The Indians had hundreds of times more forces than the Army and Cavalry put together to EASILY Sweep the invadors into the sea, but they refused to put down their petty squabbles and Unite AND FIGHT TO DEFEND YOUR LAND, PERIOD INSTEAD OF WAGING WARS AGAINST EACH OTHER RIGHT UO
Nick, I live in Stuttgart and right in front of my house entrance there's such a Stolperstein. And believe me - although it's set into the ground/pavement - every time I walk past it (not over it) I always think of those to me unknown people with all my heart. 🧡 And just as you I like that concept of a "stumble" stone in people's everyday life.
The Stolpersteine are very haunting - at least to me. If I'm not in a hurry I always take the time to read the names and what their fate was - if known. They are not only for jews but for all victims of the Nazis - no matter if they were murdered or survived. They are there to remember those people. And to remember how many fell victim to the Nazis. Thx for this video!
I mean, no other country ever came up with a word for this (incidentally, almost no other language lends itself to the creation of catchy compound words quite like German does, but considering just how important of a process it is it’s still commendable that they came up with it in the first place): Vergangenheitsbewältigung. The fact that it’s an entire concept and there’s a proper label for it pretty much ensures it’s taken way more seriously than it would’ve been otherwise.
Erinnerungskultur is another word that I want to mention when it comes to this aspect. The literal translation is culture of remembrance. It describes the active interaction of the society with their past and history with the goal to keep their history in mind and to prevent the same horrors to happen again.
Nur ein kleiner Anstoß/Hinweis: Weil Vergangenheit nicht „bewältigt“ - also endgültig erledigt - werden kann, wird inzwischen mehrheitlich der Begriff Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung oder Aufarbeitung der Vergangenheit vorgezogen.[1] Begrifflich liegt der Schwerpunkt bei der Aufarbeitung der Vergangenheit in der Bestimmung von Verantwortung. Zudem setzt man sich beim Aufarbeiten mit der Vergangenheit als einem Prozess der Erinnerungskultur auseinander. :)
I got teary-eyed during this video. A person from a different country, who just objectively talks about our past and respects us for dealing with it. You're not asking German people "Hey aren't you all Nazis?" or some variation of that question. Thank you so so much. It feels good being treated like a normal human being and not like someone from "the Nazi country".
I get that Munich decided against them. The local Jewish community spoke out against them, and you have to accept that. I don't think it is a problem that people sometimes walk over them without noticing. There are so many and you are not always observant, so it happens, but it isn't an act of disrespect. The important thing is, that they stand out much more than some plaque on a wall, there are plaques like that all over the place for all kinds of information. The stones are really hard to miss, every foreigner that comes to Germany notices them at some point. That I think was the idea of the artist, at least the term "Stolperstein" hints at that. It is a stone that you trip over, something you might not notice immediately but gets in your way from time to time. And as it is all the same all over Germany it really gives a feeling of the ubiquity of that crime. They only exist for a fraction of victims, but still there is no town where you cannot find a few.
I would never notice something attached to a house wall, because there is so much advertisement for everything on house walls, BUT I always stumble over these "Stolpersteine", even if I can understand the argument against them.
Very well put, Daniel! "Gets in your way" - that's exactly the underlying meaning of "Stolperstein": something that hinders or distracts you from your intended walk. And that they do perfectly imo.
There are actually entire rows of these at the "Hackesche Höfe" in Berlin. A few years ago, I was there to get some Christmas presents for my family when I noticed a tour guide and some kids at the entrance, speaking in English. The guide told them about what had happened to the people living at that place. Some of the kids were wearing kippahs, so I assumed they were from Israel. Unfortunately, the guide hadn't pointed out the stones in the ground to the children, so some of them were just standing on those "Stolpersteine". I kinda wanted to bring them to their attention, but I was a bit too reluctant and the situation felt too awkward for me, so I just left them alone.
I grew up near by Bingen am Rhein in Germany and moved away to Switzerland before the Stolpersteine started. Many, many years later I walked through Bingen and was really shocked. Without the Stolpersteine I would never have realized what happened there.
I think the Stumbling Stones are a good and powerful way to remember these people. In contrast to a memorial plate on a wall, you actually stumble over them - not with your feet, but with your mind. You notice them, read the inscription and for a brief moment, you bring this person back to life. This is very important since the Nazis wanted to destroy their victims and eradicate all memories of them. Of millions of people, there is nothing left, no proof that they have ever existed, except their names. We HAVE to remember them. Sure, you can go to Yad Vashem in Israel were they collect as many names as they can find, but bringing the names back to the places were these people actually lived is even more powerful (and important) in my opinion.
The thing is, here in Germany ( and, of course, every where else ) they were not "just Jews" ( or political opposition, disabled or otherwise targets of the horrible bloodthirst that swept through Europe ). They were neighbors, friends, colleagues, lovers, relatives and citizens who got murdered by the millions. This is why imo. it is so important to remember them here, where they lived. Not just out of the utmost respect to them, to the people they were but also to never let their suffering become and isolated collection that could one day be ignored or forgotten.
Yeah I remember asking my mom what those shiny stones are for, and what's written on them, it's not another plaque on the wall, this is something different and it stands out. Yeah and I also got taught to never step on them
I take the position that my generation is not responsible for the terrible crimes of the Third Reich, but we have a great responsibility to ensure that they are not forgotten and never repeated. I encountered the Stolpersteine for the first time when I moved to Karlsruhe 14 years ago. Even today, I always take a closer look at when I pass them. So I just want to thank you Nalf for this video and for your perspective as an American in Germany. 🙏
I’m German, and when I was little my mum always teached me to never step on them. It is a fact of respect! Till this day I love to stop at them and read the names of the people they represent, it teached me to respect the holocaust and it also helped me to understand the reality of it.
The beautiful thing about Stolpersteine is, that you cannot not interact with them. Sure, you can ignore them. Or you can walk over them. But doesn’t this mean, that you are essentially ignoring/trampling on the victims, just like the wider population back then did? A really strong work of art, IMO. There are plenty in the big town near where I live. I don’t read every last one I encounter, but I take note and acknowledge them every time.
It reminds me of the Sarajevo 'roses'. In places where shells fell during the seige of Sarajevo the holes were filled in red so they should not be forgotten about. They look like splatters of blood. By nature, of course, they are on the ground and you may walk on them. I always walk around them. I also agree 100% about German attitudes to their past and facing up to it. In many countries, including those of former Yugoslavia but many others too, there is a stubborn refusal to face up to, recognise, admit and apologise for crimes. Therefore, they are stuck in the past, unable to move on, each dwelling only on what others did to them and not facing up to what they did to others. Germany stands as an example of how to do it right. German children are taken to the sites of concentration camps. Children in some other countries have no idea what their countries have done.
Unfortunately the stubborness is growing in Germany. Looking away instead of acting is quite common, but ignoring is a type of agreeing. We all should have the cojones to act more often.
We also watched videos from the concentration camps in 9th grade in Germany... Just in my class one person passed out and another one had to puke afterwards. It was quite the shock therapy, but that's one of the best ways to directly face the past and learn from it.
I live in Vienna, we have Stolpersteine as well. we, Austrians, are just as guilty of the horrible crimes during the Nazi regime as Germany is. unfortunatly some og my fellow citizens like to pretend we were victims, but I disagree. especially if you consider that Hitler was actually austrian. we still have a lot to repair and we must never never ever forget!
Respekt, ich finde es traurig dass in Österreich die Geschichte nicht wirklich aufgearbeitet wird weil man sich genau wie Italien aus der Verantwortung zieht aber du bist ein tolles Beispiel dafür, dass das nicht bei allen so ist. Danke!
@@ageongki6744 hängt mit Stalin zusammen der es durchbrachte, dass Österreich als Opfer der Nazis gilt und nicht als Täter. Obwohl der Großteil der damaligen Österreicher sich als deutsche sahen und mit Stolz sich dem Reich anschlossen, wird leider häufig nicht erwähnt, dass das Östereichische Selbstbewusstsein als eigenes Volk erst wirklich mit dem Ende des 2. Weltkriegs begann.
Nalf, I think you're one of the most intelligent, decent and humble sportsmen alive. Eager to see how this second career works out. Just don't become a wedding planner... ;)
Hello from NYC and thanks for this amazing video! I found your channel after seeing a preview for this video on @Ryan Wass’s RUclips German channel and I subscribed to your channel and his right away! My biggest takeaway watching your video, is the importance of being honest as a nation, and not hiding its horrific history/past. But instead putting it out there and TEACHING everyone about it, to make sure it NEVER happens again…unlike here in the USA. And it’s really too bad this isn’t done here in the USA…Many from the far-right would rather hide the truth about our disgusting American history, and either pretend it didn’t happen and even omit or change it in American history books! Now I can’t wait to get a copy of the book you found, “Why the Germans do it better”, which I believe should be a part of all American school curricula! Thanks again for your video! And God bless you! 🙏🏼❤️
Germany faces up to its past. It understands it in detail. It does everything it can to make the future a different tale to the past. A better story without making the past sound like a better story than it actually was
This is a great video! I am an Italian living in Germany and as such, in all honesty, I'm kinda envious of how conscious and educated German people are about this topic. In a way back then Italy was equally guilty of those horrors, but (generically speaking) it feels like people don't really care or remember that much. The education system in Italy is good, don't get me wrong, but the fascist/ww2 era is just another lesson in history class. Back when I was living in Florence i always used to pay my small homage to the Italian resistance, stopping at monuments and simply thinking, as I was walking on the very same ground those amazing people were walking on aswell. I really admire my German friends for the respect they pay to this and I sincerely wish Italy could one day do the same. Cheers!
I recently got the chance to be at a ceremony in my hometown where they put some stumbling stones in the ground. The town invited the descendants of the family‘s survivors from all around the world to be there as well for free. The atmosphere was incredible and it once again makes one remember that we are able to grow and learn from our mistakes.
Danke für dieses Video über einen wichtigen Punkt in unserer Geschichte und wie man damit umgehen sollte...wenn so etwas nie wieder geschehen soll dann ist Aufklärung und Bildung DER Weg! Und das gilt nicht nur für deutsche Geschichte!!! Leider sind mir in den Kommentaren einige Bemerkungen aufgefallen die zeigen das es leider immer noch Menschen gibt die in den letzten 50 Jahren nichts aber auch gar nichts aus dieser Geschichte gelernt haben...habe mir erlaubt diese zu melden - etwas was ich tatsächlich noch nie gemacht habe...aber da ist für mich eine Grenze erreicht.
The famous German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770 - 1831) once made the pessimistic annotation: "We learn from history that we don't learn from history". I really hope that he was wrong!! Thank you for your film and your touching words, Nick!
Sorry but Hegel was right. It's the tendency of fallen human nature. The people who were born some 100 years ago and fought in WW2, if they saw what's going on just this week in Germany, they'd be appalled.
I really admire you, Nick, for wanting to see the wider worldview. Your stay in Germany, I imagine, has sparked that. I am crying as I note that Moses Lewkowitz was only 6 years old when he was expelled to Poland and no one knows what happened to him. But I think we know what probably happened. Rest in Peace, Moses... It is tragic that you and the world never got to know each other...
Thank you for handling this topic so respectfully. When I was a school girl at the age of 15 I went on a school exchange to Poland. There we visitied Ausschwitz - the concentration camp. I've seen with my own eyes this horrible place and we all had to cry there. History became "real" in this moment There was an exhibition of stuff from the murdered people - shoes, glasses, and so on. When I saw children shoes, I barely couldn't handle it. I'm German and I say "never again". Therefore it's important to have such things like "Stolpersteine". Behind every history book lesson there were real human beings who went through this times.
Every country has a bad past. You don’t see the Turkish apologise for the actions of the ottomans or the Brits for their empire. Or the Russians for the Soviet union. They murdered more people than the Germans ever did. It’s time Germans stopped holding guilt. It was different back then. All countries done evil things. Look what the allies did to Dresden. No one talks about that
Thank you for talking about this. I'm in Berlin this week (from Oregon!) for the laying of two stolpersteine laid in honor of my dad and grandmother. My dad was not quite 8 when they were arrested and deported to a camp in Czechoslovakia. They both survived 2 years until liberated by the Russian Army near then end of the war. Of the 15k children that went through his camp, he was one of less than 150 that survived. I'm also a fan of the memorials. About a dozen strangers gathered during the little ceremony, and we talked with several people who noticed the stolpersteine were new, and were touched at how people respect and are not afraid of the past. It pains me to the core thinking about what my dad went through as a little boy, and how millions others like him didn't survive.
Impressed with this video Nalf....Totally agree with you....have them here in Holland too and I like to pause when I see them and think and be grateful. X
On the other hand, I do not see them for resistance who were also transported to the same concentration camps, tortured and executed, nor for hostages who were executed, nor for political prisoners, gay people, journalists, artists, gypsies and all others who were murdered, because of who they were or what they stood for. Nur für Juden, gives me a very bad feeling, even when intended positive.
@@dutchman7623 i could not tell anything about Stolpersteine in the Netherlands, but in Germany they are for all kinds of Nazi victims. But maybe, you see more jewish ones , because there were more jewish victims.
Never heard of these in the many years of traveling in Germany. I am sure I have walked past them but now I will have to look for these when I return to Germany.
On Patreon a few days, Nalf’s patrons were given behind the scenes footage that went to make up the player interview sections in “The Unlikely Champions of Europe”. This allowed us to see at first-hand two things which won’t be apparent to others. First, Nalf has real skill as an interviewer, putting the men he’s interviewing at ease and asking the best questions. Second, we’re presented with the raw material of almost 53 minutes of interviews and can witness the skillful results of his editing talent in the YT video itself. Oh, and one other thing is revealed: how hard this man works to turn so much footage into just a few, perfect minutes for our entertainment. TSGO
Nick, I am also an American, from Reno, NV, living and working for the past nine years in Gelsenkirchen/Duisburg. Only a months ago I asked some of my friends about the reasoning and importance of the "Stolpersteinen." I was completely shocked after learning their meaning and importance!! Thanks for sharing your video! 🇺🇸🇩🇪🇩🇪🇺🇸🍻🤘🏻
I was born in Germany and in my Hometown you can see so many of them. You can also find a monument of a Synagoge. Since my childhood I walk past them and in school we were told the stories. There is a story behind every stone. A Life… So many thoughts
@@TheRealChaosQueen it was a really nice conversation starter and, surprisingly, about half the class didn't know about the Stolpersteine. They now have the assignment to keep their eyes open and take a picture the next time they come across one. They especially felt what Nick also said in his video: that it is a much more personal way of remembering than going to a museum. And: your apostrophe is spot on ;)
Thank you for your answer! I think, this lessons might leave a trace in their heads. To see how close those victims actually are. Their grandchildren should be our neighbours, but they were never born.
Thank you, Nalf, for this video on an important topic. ❤️ I’m German, and I hope that education on this dark part of our history will never stop! I pray that people learn to recognize and sensibly react on early warning signs, in order to prevent such horror to repeat itself in any form whatsoever. I really appreciate the effort you’re putting into creating your precious videos! 😊
What I love is how the Stolpersteine make you realize that the whole world is a museum. History isn't just fancy buildings and battle grounds and faraway countries, it's everywhere, all around us.
Countries across the globe should adopt these and implement similar concepts. This is respectful to the good souls and a reminder to never repeat the mistakes. Kashmiri hindu pandit genocide, Armenian genocide, Afghan genocide, Cambodian genocide and many more should also be remembered so the future is secure. Good work, Germany :) Hats off to you.
Uygur genocide CURRENTLY ongoing in china apparently doesn't fit the criteria. It's easy to remember and it's easy to repeat words. Acting on these words is a different matter
I live in Monheim am Rhein, and our town encourages people to engage, remember and even to clean the Stolpersteine. They have an extra webpage set up on their "town-homepage" where you can find some background, an instruction how to clean the Stolpersteine and an town-map with all the locations where you can find the Stolpersteine. Couple years ago I took my youngest kid to clean some of them, and it was a precious time together.
In terms of food for thought or expressing your feelings about Germany and its people probably your best video yet. Although I am 50+, I have been following your vlog for some time as I have lived in the US for 6 years. There is also a "Stolperstein" in front of my house (in Hamburg) and yes, noticing and reading the name, looking at and inspecting the building somehow makes you think and briefly connect with the person you are remembering through this unique form of a plaque.
You describe exactly how the German people are aware of their past and how serious they take it. And you also seem to understand this feeling and artuculate it really well in your video. Looking forward to reading this book too!
Hey Nalf! Martin (33, German) here! Just wanted to say thank you! Thank you that you use your channel to address this difficult topic. Thank you for also recognizing theses efforts. I appreciate it! The burden that we as a German people carry is often hard to explain to foreigners. But we try our best and your video shows it and puts it into context for others. I love the Stolpersteine as well! Here in Berlin (where I live) entire neighborhoofs are full with them. People often gather on the 9th of November to clean and polish the Stolpersteine. They light candles and lay down flowers to remember their neighbors, who used to live here. As you might know, we also have this huge memorial for the murdered Jews of Europe in the city center. It is an important place, where we remember the millions of people who lost their life in the Holocaust. Unfortunately this place has become an Instagram and social media location. People take inappropriate photos there, they jump from one to another stone, picnic on top of them or do fashion shootings there. It really upsets me everytime I see this. I just wanted to point that out to you, as not everybody is respecting the past and the dead. But again, thank you for your video!
Thank you so much for this interesting video and the way you tell the story ! I live in Cologne and there are many 'Stolpersteine' aswell..... they make me think too every time I walk past them. Best wishes from Cologne 🤗
When I applied for my German citizenship, I had to learn about (and pass a test,) the Kristallnacht and many other events from the past. This video helped me understand why and appreciate it more, thanks.
"Those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it." - This couldn't be more true today. Unfortunately people will look back at these years the way we look back at the 1930s a few decades from now.
Hey Nalf, really appreciate this video. Just an information for everyone, not meant as a criticism: the term "Reichskristallnacht" is not so much used anymore in Germany, but rather criticized because it is said to sound euphemistic. Rather the term "Reichsprogromnacht" is better to be used, because it implies what that night really was about. Peace.
Totally agree. What makes me crazy is that a lot of former nazi allies throw shade on Germany for the nazi times but Germany has completely faced their past and learnt from it while these other countries just try to make it look like they were victims and only Germany was the sole bad actor. Nonsense. Some of these countries absolve themselves of all sins and point fingers to Germany instead of doing their homework and face their own horrendous crimes.
@@fupoflapo2386 only that america never faced their past and still teach that the founding fathers were great people, that natives didn't get slaughtered like animals and that throwing nuclear bombs on already destroyed japan is okay.
We have that in austria as well! On the dates horrible things happened there are sometimes "Mahnwachen" where people gather around the stolpersteine and think about the victims, lay down flowers and candles etc. It feels really humbling to go to work the next day and see the candles and flowers still laying there, bringing a culture of remembrence to our everyday life.
Omg are you joking? I live in Schwäbisch Hall, I know that store !! Stolpersteine are pretty common here in Germany, you’ll find them in every bigger city I think. I always hope people around the world recognize our efforts so I was very happy about this video Thank you, let’s work together, not against each other to prevent things like that to happen again!🙏🏻🙌🏻
Awesome video, Nick. Thank you so much. And I agree with your opinion on the 'stones'. The very name; "stumbling stones" has so much emotion in it. You live in a cool place.
Loved this excerpt from the book - we will have to get that! Kevin and I also really respect how Germany has done an amazing job in making restitution and reparations. It’s incredible how they’ve taken their dark past and turned it around to make a fantastic country. I’m proud to live here. I think this is a big part of why racial problems continue in the US. I mean, Germany made anything that was related to Nazism illegal. I can imagine doing something like that in America as it relates to racist symbols, statues, etc. would help. And that’s just one of the many things Germany has done to improve.
I wouldn't say Germany is doing an amazing job in making restitution and reparations at the moment. The genocide of the Ovaherero and Nama is also part of German history. The descendants of the survivors in what is now Namibia have been fighting for recognition and justice for decades, but fully acknowledging the atrocities committed by German colonizers, taking responsibility for them and meeting the requirements of the Ovaherero and Nama seems still impossible for the German government. As a German, this makes me angry and ashamed.
Germany has improved. But it's far from a fantastic country. Is it better than US yes. Absolutely by a long shot. Is it fantastic no. If you dig deep enough you see all the filth. Homeless people living in shelters even tho they have a good paying job because they once had debt and no landlord is wanna take the "risk". It's abhorrent. The whole minimum wage just being a Lil bit more than Hartz 4. Around 50% of Germans don't have enough to actually effecrively save up money. But I guess you never were unemployed for a longer period of time and had to deal with Zeitarbeitsfirmen.
Hey Nalf, I just wanted to let you know how much I, a nearly 40y/o german, enjoy watching your videos. I Love your perspective and appreciate your video making skills. You're doing so well. Thank you for letting me see my country through your eyes ❤
"Remember to not repeat" is a quote my history teacher always said, we were shown not the common documentaries, but interviews of survivors, pictures and drawings from when the war ended, the pile of bodies... The full brutal side and thats what stays in your mind and you dont want to see again You should NEVER sugarcoat history and i thank my teacher for doing that Just textbooks dont give it like it acually ws
One thing i have to add to the german guys statement at the end is that while germany in paricular should make sure it doesnt happen again it isnt just germany that has that responsibilty, it is everyone whereever they live
As German: thank you so much for this video! Not just for informing, but especially for knowing/learning details about our history. Not many foreigners do.
About a year ago, I and a few fiends volunteered on a Programm at our school where we went through the city in groups and cleaned these. It was an interesting experience and I can't help but notice them all the time ever since
You're so relevant, educated and empathetic. One of your best videos. It really captivated me and made me listen attentively. I hope we can hold the bad people at bay. We seem to be failing more and more. Germany needs a reminder sometimes that we can be strong together.
German here. Three of these Stolpersteine are placed in front of my late grandfathers house. After he died in 2018 aged 84, my mother and aunt, who were his sole heirs, decided to sell his house (something i'd have like not to have happened, but that is outside my influence). There were many partys interested in buying it, and some of them wanted the Stolpersteine removed. Every single one who wanted the Stolpersteine removed was immediately out of the question for who would be considered. Keeping the stones as they are ended up being part of the buyers contract; regardless of any possible future legislation that may ultimately allow them to do so. While my personal memories of this place as i grew up are ones of joy, love and security, the horror of the past that is forever associated with that house, wich i only learned of in my late teens, must not be forgotten. Although the decision to cut the ones who wanted the stones removed out of the picture when searching for a buyer should be a given to begin with, i'm proud of my mother and aunt for doing so. Because especially over the past years, these ideals seem to diminish, wich is, especially as german, horrifiying.
This is so important to us. We get confronted with the past so often and some people told me, they are fed up about taking the blame and being confronted with it. But I must say, because in school we've learned sooooo much about it, we learn a lot about empathy and charity. Those who listened in school are far better people. Sadly this isn't taught in other countries and there is also a wave of Germans who didn't listen, thus right-winged-parties are getting popular and antisemitism is still going. What makes me sick is that whenever I traveled, ever so often I get comfronted with people that are just soooo facinated that I come from the "Naźi Reich". Someone even called us "Naźi Girls" 2013. We were 16. He was about 20. Urgh...
@@k_u_e_r_i_s_u_e deswegen wird man dann wirklich rechts? das ist so sinnlos. Ich werde nicht automatisch und aus Provokation zum Rassisten, wenn mich jemand als Rassisten beleidigt. Wer wegen sowas rechts wird, war es schon vorher
@@larasgate3 Nein aber es lässt Menschen intolerant und feindlich gegenüber anderen werden, wenn sie erst Jahre lang die Geschichte von Nazis sich anhören müssen mit denen sie nichts zu tun hatten und dann ständig dafür noch beleidigt werden von Ausländern
@@k_u_e_r_i_s_u_e scheinst "viel" zu reisen. Oder dich daneben zu benehmen. Hatte im Vergleich zu negativen Erlebnissen fast ausschließlich positive bezüglich der dt Nationalität im Ausland, was mich stellenweise schon fast verwunderte denn ich kann gut verstehen wenn die Leute stellenweise immer noch Vorbehalte haben. You seem to travel a "lot"...or maybe don't behave that well in other countries. Personally i nearly had only positive feedback when i was telling that I'm german basically everywhere in the world up to the point that I was even quite a bit in disbelief because i can understand why people still might express reservation.
@@Flaschenteufel Schön wenn sie so viele tolle Erlebnisse hatten. Das trifft aber nicht auf alle zu. Ich habe teilweise sehr negative erlebnisse gehabt wo ich für Verbrechen von anderern Menschen verantwortlich gemacht wurde. Ihre Mutmaßungen im ersten Satz ignorier ich einfach mal, sie können sich ja scheinbar nicht mal im Internet benehmen
You can't ignore them. They're in our everyday life, everywhere. You have to take a bow or even kneel to read them. The Stolpersteine are one of the most impressive memorials. Great vid, Nalf, thank you!
I think that videos like these, especially from ,,non-germans" are very important for germany. You know, i'm a 19 Years old german teen and the last year i served as a soldier in the ,,Bundeswehr", the german army. And in the first few months i hadn't have my drivers liscence yet. And there is a thing in some parts of germany, that when you take the train in your uniform, you can drive for free. And those were the moments, where i experienced the suffering from the mistakes of our ancestors, my ancestors, the most. The german people were those who yelled ,,Nazi" on the open at me. The german people were the rude ones. And one time, i stepped out of the train to go home, and a tourist came to me. He said in english ,,thank you my guy" and i said ,,im sorry, for what?" and he replied ,,for your service for this country.". At first, i smiled, but then, i got sad. My very own people are the rude ones. Those, who i would need to prtect if something happens. Those, who would need my help and those, who are from another country, just here to visit and mybe learn. Those who have literally nothing to do with me are the ones who thank me. Our history only gets referred by other country when something bad happens, maybe when our politicians f*ck something up. But our own people are the ones, who causes the problems. The following isn't meant to be disrespectful meant to any nationality or religion or anything else, but the ones who suffer the most of germanys past, are the germans. When an American, mexican, russian or anyone else call me a nazi, that doesnt bother me. I dont even care. But when my very own people call me that, thats when it hurts. And it hurts a lot...
As a german i loved this video. Those stones were always something i knew, nothing special.. but hear you talk about them so fascinated makes me really happy :)
Those stones are a perfect metaphor. They are like real persons. You pass by, and have to make a desicion. Do you want to be respectful? Do you just ignore them, pretend not to see them? We do that a lot, with the poor, homeless, people with disabilities... Do you literally walk over them like Nazis did and still do? There are many stumble stones in my area, I try to never step on one, not even in a hurry. Often I read their names. My seven year old daughter basically knows why the stones are there, but I don't dare to go into detail for now. And of course it is not my fault what happened. But it would be if that would happen again.
Nick, outstanding video mate well done. On my way to work in Frankfurt I walk over eight of these memorials and still regularly look and read them. I had no idea who, when or how they were placed so thanks for filling in the gap for me. Strangely this week four of them have had the text repainted and have been polished up….I wonder who did this…whoever, respect.
I am a German viewer and yes these things are normal for me. But your channel shows me everything from a different point of view. Through you I rediscover what is everyday life for me. Thanks for your beautiful videos.
I dont know why but the second you looked at the ground, I knew you were looking for the Stolpersteine. Man, I am glad we are at the point where we are.
Thank You for bringing this up. Since I have been in Germany 8 Months I have learned so much of Germany's history. The German people are great historians. I love it!
I love how aware people are of theses stones and their history as well. When i was in school i got the opportunity to be a "godfather" to one of these stones. So i was there, when it was laid and i presented a little bit of history about the person it was in honor of. Now the artist told us whenever we see stones that are not as shiny anymore, to rub over them with your feet, so that the oxidized layer comes off. A woman saw me doing that and was telling me to stop because i was beeing disrespectful. I told her why i did it, but i think it was great, that she knew about what the stones meant and tried to honor them by approaching me.
I didn't know that they're not a thing in munich... I think the idea of having the Stolpersteine on the ground is much better than on a wall. There are so many signs on walls that I don't really notice them. Being on the ground makes them more special and I feel like you're more likely to notice them. It makes them more unique and also you have to kind of bow to read them which is a nice gesture of respect. Also I don't think many people step on them - I noticed that I always try to NOT step on them and I've seen many people do the same! Sometimes when people accidently stand on them and they notice, you can tell they're sorry and then take the time to read them!
This is exactly not only my observation but my own behavior. I also explain my children what they stand for and why not to step on them. But I somewhat see the reason why some think to better not put them on the ground.
Thank you for putting emphasis on a topic like this. Knowing about the past is more important than ever. For all of us, no matter what country we are from.
I can understand the Argument of "disrespectful by walking over them" - and I agree. But, walking over them is disrespectful - you do not do this as you do not climb upon some other Memorials. They are meant to be there where they are, as it is so easy to walk over them as it is to forget. The Place in the Ground is a Part of them beeing "powerful". Many Germans will frown upon stepping on them or even make some other "Remark" about it, even it may not be done with Words spoken. To be aware of them is a step that forces us to remind us of how easy we forget, do the same mistake, oversimplify things and all of that, that caused the original Tradgedy in the first Place. Also, originally, they were not leveled, they stood up a bit so you stumbled over them when not paying attention to them - but that was kinda "illegal" as it was a safety hazard. So, I also liked the original ones, and as there were changes made to make them "less prominent" I must say, I can unterstand and will also agree to thoose who think that putting them down there is "disrespectful" and thus them beeing put elsewhere - as the original artistic value is not there as it was intended to be and thus the respect towards the Victims weights more heavy than the artistic Value. Still, it is a very controversial Subject and I am not in a Position to make any judgement here aside of having Grandparents who taught us latter Generations to not fall for the same Bullcrap and not repeat their Mistakes.
"Stolpersteine", for me as a german born in `79, is easily the most amazing arts project EVER. Amazing in a sombre, serious, appropriate way. Yes, I can see the controversy, but: They are literally meant to make you stumble, they are were your gaze is while you are minding you busines, you don´t need to look for them to notice them. And what really gets you right in the guts when you are walking down a pedestrian zone is just the sheer number. How many there are, and it´s nowhere near finished, but it gives you some perspective on the numbers you read in history class. And it gives the victims their names back, which is at least as important in order to wrap your head around what actually happened. As Maxim Gorki wrote about his "Master novels": " You need to plant a hedgehog inside the human´s skull, so it never comes to rest"
A while back I cleaned the stumbling stones in my city with a big group of kids my age. We spend hours cleaning every single one we came across, but it was worth it.
Holocaust survivor Max Mannheimer said "You are not responsible for what happened, but you do have responsibility to ensure that it doesn't happen again."
The world declared war on Germany, not the other way round. Educate yourself properly.
@@perliva explain that to the people of poland, or holland, or france.... troll.
@@uliwehner Poland desired our _Ostgebiete_ long before the war. Fact.
@@perliva don't be silly. The one in need of education is you. Although I do think that you should start with the first steps all over again.
@@perliva go, sit on a cactus. 'Unsere Ostgebiete'? Mate... grow a pair and get thee to a library.
There is an other aspect with the stumbling stones: to be able to read the text you have either bend your knee or to bow your head. Both are signs of respect. I think that is the idea of setting these stones in the ground.
Of course you can just walk over it. But no Neon color sign on the wall would have the same effect. First you need permission of the owner of the house, instead on a boardwalk it's public property. Then it's a memorial, a Denkmal, (denk einmal darüber nach) a mental cobblestone. Sure with a nationalistic mentality you might urinate over it, God forbid, but as you walk over it you do remember, every now and then. No wonder it's banned in Munich, it would be all over on loads of places.
@@Mayagick banned in Munich... what does that tell us?
@@sisuguillam5109 That the city listened to the jewish that said it is disrespectfull when you can walk over it.
@@sisuguillam5109 back in the day the Nazis called Munich the "capital of the movement", because here the Nazi party started in the 1920s and Hitler lived there. He gathered a huge number of followers there with his speeches in the Bürgerbräukeller, which was a big location for political events together with the consumption of lots of beer.
Also in Munich Hitler initiated a coup to overthrow the bavarian government, but miserably failed. This led to his imprisonment in Landsberg, where he then wrote his book "Mein Kampf"
@@ferzbeitel6026 True.
I'm a German living in Hamburg where, as you might expect, we have a lot of those. There's one right next to the entrance of my building.
I even greet 'Ernst' when walking by, and NEVER step on these stones. Just my way of paying respect.
I also live in Hamburg. I have the impression that just about everyone is paying attention not to step on one of those. It feels wrong, like if you would walk all over a grave...just a lot worse as those people have suffered so much.
I also never tread on them. Very impressive memorials.
I live in Hamburg as well and am always excited to see these "stones". Even when traveling to small unknown villages in Germany I see them.
Lmfao Germany is beyond saving
@@cocacoladog10 elaborate
In high school, we were once visited by a Holocaust survivor who told his story. After he was done, everyone was deeply touched and some people were crying. He asked us: "Why are your crying?" and we answered: "Because we feel so sorry for what happened, for all the pain this caused, we feel sorry for being German." And he just looked at us and told us: "You shouldn't be sorry for being German. You should be proud. You should be grateful, to have that opportunity and responsibility, to not let something like this happen again."
That day really changed my and many of my fellow students' life.
Damn that's deep
@@Jodio-Joestar it kinda is tho
Bei uns war das genauso. Wir haben als Klasse 3 Jahre hintereinander die Stolpersteine unserer Stadt geputzt und am 07.11. jedes Jahr Reden über die einzelnen Ermordeten gehalten. Ich lebe leider in einer der wenigen Städte, die als Versuchsstädte für die Kristallnacht verwendet wurde, weil es damals eine 80%ige Bereitschaft gab, die NSDAP zu wählen. Das bedeutet, dass sich die Kristallnacht in unserer Stadt bereits einen Tag vorher ereignete als im restlichen Deutschland. Deshalb fand ich es besonders wichtig, andere Klassen der Schule und Passant*innen mit Rundgängen durch die Stadt zu informieren. Leider habe ich dieses Jahr die Schule gewechselt, aber ich hoffe, dass dieser wichtige Gedenktag von anderen Klassen fortgesetzt wurde...
War es Sally Perel? Den hab ich auch mal getroffen.
Being proud of stuff you have no influence on just sounds nonsensical to me. Pride should only be a response to something YOU are responsible for imo. It’s literally 100% random where people come from. I’ll never understand how people take pride in that
German here I was lucky enough to be present when the "Stolpersteine" or stumbling stones were set in my city and meet the artist. I just want to leave one quote from the artist with you all:
He said that his favourite quote that he heard was "when you see these stones in the ground you are meant to stumble with your hearts"
If it wouldn't be so unsafe I would love for them to be reaching out of the ground a bit to be literally "stumbling" stones
... that make you fall/fail if you dont respect/remember/notice them.
my mom’s uncle was killed in a concentration camp. He had refused to send his children to Hitler Youth meetups. A Stolperstein is set in front of the family’s home and it gives me goosebumps every time I visit my relatives.
Okay, that's a different kind of history experience 😬
@@Muexxxor Apparently you know my family better than I do. Who are you? A relative I haven’t met yet? Do you think his children and grand-children were lying? Do you know the real story? Where do I find it? I have so many questions now. Can we talk? LMAO
@@Muexxxor wait? So you're not a relative? I'm sad now. I was really hoping you could tell me more about my family. I'm really confused. I read the trial papers and his prison sentence and I've also seen the death certificate. What else is there to do? You think he started the war and nobody told me? You think he killed a nation? He was never a soldier because he was the owner of a Dairy shop. Do you think he poisened the milk?
@@SabineThinkerbellum it is a Qanon follower or some right winger trying to relativate the crimes done in that time. You always find these weirdos in the comment section. Just ignore it.
@@HumanistGordian Ignoring is not an option. Relativazing crimes committed during the Nazi regime is a criminal offense in Germany and will be prosecuted with a possible sentence of up to 3 years in prison or a hefty fine. I notified RUclips about this user.
It would be very refreshing if Americans would be as thoughtful, humble, and honest about our own history as Germans are about theirs. Too many are ignorant about all of the US‘s crimes against humanity. Recommendation- an older book called Lies My Teacher Never Told Me. A real eye-opener for anyone who went to elementary and high school in the US.
Americans are plenty aware about it all. They'd just rather fight each other over it rather than be permanently apologetic for it as Germany does.
@@siyacer While most of my once compatriots don't really recognize the problem, or go into a full denial. Last Saturday was a Holodomor Commemoration Day.
@پیاده نظام خان
If it were American elites alone, it would have been great. But no, there appears to be a large proportion of American population simply blinded by their perceived superiority. Universal healthcare? No! Social programs = socialism = communism = atheism = satanism! Bad! Tuition free education? Same thing!
I would have never thought that in US they don't have universal healthcare, like that of Germany or Israel or Japan. And yet, it seems that a sizable (though thankfully ever shrinking) part of the US population would rather see people in need die or be enslaved by never-ending loans with interest rather then fall to a "tyranny" of better health for everyone, and call this "freedom".
Es ist traurig aber keine Überraschung. Geschichte wirdvom Sieger geschrieben. History is written by the winner.
@@Sophie-vw5ol I have to say, of historians out there I prefer the German ones. The lesson has been learned by them: history is facts as they are, not as one wants them to be.
I feel like, the Stolpersteine are like a bit of gravestones brought right into the middle of where their lifes were put to a halt. A plaque seems more like "yeah, a thing happened, whatever, let me give you a boring history lecture". The Stolpersteine however, force bypasser to tribute them some respect, because it would be really disrespectful to step on them and people would judge you for that, so you are forced to take notice and actively not step on them.
I agree. 🌍🤍 Herzliche Gruesse aus Canada.
... Though I recommend to visit the Jewish Museum and on the other hand the "Topographie des Terrors" - if you happen to come to Berlin. The latter gives you an insight into how the terror of the Nazis worked in practice and in detail, the first one shows the history of Jewish life and culture in Berlin over the centuries. The Stolpersteine are reminding us everywhere every day about this part of German history and it's a brilliant idea I think.
So all three "elements" together make the most sense to me as you understand how much those singled out and murdered were not strangers but a part of our culture and society.
Never forget!
Exactly my thoughts, and... wherever you go and find those stones, you never see people stepping on them, so Munich aouthorities can really lower their panic and put the signs off the walls and put them on the floor again because only then you lower your head in order to read them and deeply bow to the people who got taken away by the fascists.
@@Freddsche Well, I mean, the jewish community of munich has expressed their wish, that it should be done with plaques on wallds, insted of blocks on the ground, so that's something that should be accepted. But elsewhere, there seems to be no diagreement on the side of jewish communities outside of munich of how it's done. So, I guess that's just how it is, munich does it differently and that's fine too.
I agree, if we raised them say waist-high that'd be great.
I’m a third generation German Turk and and all I wish for Turkish people to acknowledge the Armenian genocide and open up about it as well as educate about it as Germany does with the Holocaust.
A few years ago, I had an appointment with my new dentist. He asked me if I believed in the Armenian genocide. I said “yes, 100%. Just imagine what it would be like if we Germans denied the Holocaust”. Cause that’s what Turkey does with its own past. Denying their mistakes and a whole genocide.
I hope someday Turkish citizens can swallow down their pride and open up about their past as Germans do.
For a long time (especially during my teenage years) I've believed the Armenian genocide was just a slander made by Armenians to show themselves as victims to the world and ascribe the blame to the "great history of Turkey". I was lucky enough to use my brain and be open to a discussion in history class, which has led me to seek enlightenment. I now find myself in a deep rabbit hole with many other names of genocidal events on Turkish soil.
Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds from Dersim, Alevis from Maraş/Çorum/Madimak, and Greek victims of the Istanbul Pogrom, are parts of today's Turkey. Denying the truth, advocating ignorance, and spreading conceit will always pull this country down, due to its blindness and repetition of history. As in today, there is still a present witch-hunt happening since 2013. However, like always people choose to turn their heads in the opposite direction.
So are you a German or a Turk. Why the fuck do they have to call their grandparents serial killers?
@@casema7477 as a kurd I am stunned reading your comment but at least you accepted the truth.
Respekt für diese Einsicht, sage ich als Deutscher in der 20. Generation 🙂
@@rumpelstilzchen2194 Can any European imagine such freedom? They are the actual liberating army marching into Germany at long last.
Oh, how much I love this comment section. I was born in Germany in 1984. Due to the internet I got in contact with a lot of international folks, esp. during my teenage years. I'll never forget this British guy sayin "you are German, so you were born with hatred in your blood" to me. I was a 16 y/o girl. There was no reason for him to say it, just me being German kinda triggered him. It still haunts me to this day, like the black street vendor in Rome, who screamed "Nazi" over and over to me when all I did was getting my friend, who had not much money at that time and a problem to say 'no' away from him. I could see how miserable she was and went over to her, tell her to just come with me and ignore him. I didn't talk to him, I talked to her, in German. Everybody was looking at me when this black guy called me a Nazi. I could see and feel their disgust. They might assume I did say something racist to him but I did exactly nothing. This memory sometimes
still brings tears up. Those kind and respectful words from all over the world let the pain these incidents induced in me fade a bit. Thank you all. Let's never forget what happened, let us do all we can to prevent it from happening again. But stop blaming others for the sins their ancestors committed so you don't have to look at yourself and your own actions.
Yeah, I can relate to this a lot. I'm a bit younger, and got onto the internet quite young, but the hatred against german people was insane. As soon as I mentioned I were german, i instantly got called nazi or racist and stuff like that, and it really made me mad all the time since i was the exact opposite. Videos like these kinda fuel my hope in people again, and are so needed. I love it.
I relate to this so much. I‘m German but grew up and live in another country, and it’s insane how many „Fucking Nazi“ comments I‘ve gotten over the years. The worst part is that when I tell other people about it, they are surprised. Like, they have no idea how much hate I‘m getting simply because I‘m German.
@@kajsakonigk1982 yeah its ridiculous. As if we were born to be nazi just because were germans xD Germans can simply not be anything else, it seems. The people before hitler weren't german, couldnt be, they werent nazis!!!! so dumb. We are not at fault for what happened, we are responsible for what is happening now and in the future, but not stuff we couldnt influence in the past especially since we didnt even were ALIVE back then
@@justalittlecucumber Agreed. It feels so unfair that they are mean TO US even though we weren’t even alive back then.
Wow, this black guy is really racist.
Nick, I'm from The Netherlands and the "Stolpersteine" are in my city too. I have the feeling this video came from your heart. It's not only German history. It's the worlds terrible history and we need to teach it to all kids of the world. Well done, I enjoyed it a lot.
That's right.
What happened in Germany could and can happen anywhere in the world.
In fact, it has happened in many, many places around the world. Not to the same extent as in Germany, but very similar crimes.
We should deeply remember the Holocaust as a fall from mankind and respond to it with kindness, compassion and education every day.
@@rolanddeschain6089 It also did not just happen in Germany. WWII and the holocaust is not just 'german history' nor did it just happen in Germany. Though the burden of responsibility is not on them, with many of the victims coming from other countries, and many of the camps built in other countries, it is a horrible part of European and ultimately World History. It's not just that 'very similar crimes' happened in other places. The Holocaust committed by Germans and their allies happened IN Poland, IN France, IN Belarus...all over Europe. It is part of their history as much as ours.
Remember that antisemitism was a european thing and highly integrated in most of the societies all over europe.
111RobinHood You call yourself Robin Hood? LOL... False propaganda from right wing activism, reported. Spread your bs in you cellar, alone, so you don‘t do harm. Disgusting to find this under such a video which is showing up exactly how you should do it: respectfully, remembering the victims - and not spreading lies from the depths of your internet rabbit hole.
@@kaitomikusmom3900 looks like you reporting them worked! The comment is gonna and their name is not linked in your comment, so I assume it got deleted, too. Thank you!
German here: in 2012 I went late (10pm on a saturday) to a house party in the southern outskirts of Hamburg: Loud music, alcohol galore, some weed, dancing, passionate cuddeling, etc.... Around 7 am I was waiting outside for my buddy to catch the next subway(S-Bahn). Meanwhile I discovered 4 of those "Stolpersteine" right before the entrance of the building: A father, a mother and 2 kids... took some time to get it, but in the end it hit me: 80 years prior those people may also had a party in this building and shortly afterwards they were send onto a oneway trip to death.
That Sunday was no funday. There was some indirect grief that hit me had on that day.
Therefore: Never Again!
Germans talk so much about never again and not repeating all the authoritarian bullshit, however, since two years this country is hell. Not because of its tyrannical government, because its a western phenomenon nowadays everywhere, but the fascist ways people are acting. Segregating others and preaching it, calling for the cancelation of people's basic human rights and worst of all, the german media. The amount of racism and further discrimination I had to endure in the last year by regular people, not some NPD or AfD plebs, I mean normal people and even some so-called leftist from the Grünen and SPD, is not only astonishing, but it also clearly shows the bloody hypocrisy that is going on. Now, we know the regular answer of germans from left to right: ''Oh you foreigner, get the fuck out then!'' Well, no. My great-great parents teached me what they have seen in WW2, how they fought against the nazis and kicked their asses. How they continued fighting communists and socialists. How the provided a future of peace for europeans by destroying the nazis and halting the communist russians from genociding europe. To leave would mean to spit on my ancestors hard work and blood. But most importantly, I'M disapointed that germans are once again being so easily manipulated by tax parasites and pure ''Hetze''. All the talk about not repeating and jews has no value, when the people who gifted you your freedom and wealth, and the people germans persecuted, the jews, see through the facade of hypocrisy. For some reason, most decent germans left this country in the last years and I never understood why. Now I must feel why...
@@buuuuuuurn-the-heretic Comparing a lockdown as an attempt to stop an epidemic of a potentially lethal and highly contagious disease to the systematic destruction of a group of people because of their ancestry is just wrong.
@@buuuuuuurn-the-heretic I don't know, but it seems to me that you live in a complitely different Germany than I do... XD
@nastjuschechka it’s probably difficult for you, as a nazi
@@buuuuuuurn-the-heretic 😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 that's a good one. Ein Ausländer-Nazi das funktioniert ja wunderbar von der Logik. Toll gemacht.
At school, more than 35 years ago, we've learnt not to say "Kristallnacht" because it would be an euphemism and an insult towards the jewish people. Kristall (=crystal) implies that the night was shining, glittering and beautiful. What it was absolutely not. The expression we were taught to use is "Reichspogromnacht". I've never used Kristallnacht ever since.
Really like your films and views, showing me my home country through your eyes: from the inside as well as from the outside. Best wishes!
Schools in the US actually use the German term "Kristallnacht" when they teach about the event, so even though it is not appropriate for a German audience, it's still the word/ term that the US viewers are used to hearing the most. Unfortunately, it seems to be very difficult to get US schools to update their curricula.
@@yomintyfresh I do understand. I think the term "Kristallnacht" was about to change in the 1970s , so, well, USA, you are not so far behind, esp. bc it is a term used by the time back then during 3rd Reich. But the different use shall show the change of perspective.
By the way, in 1982 the Cologne band BAP had a Song called "Kristallnaach"(Cologne dialect for Kristallnacht). Read more about it on Wikipedia. The article is also available in English.
Take care!
@@brigitteoesterle662, I believe Americans are not able to pronounce the word "Reichsprogromnacht" properly, it's a tongue twister, I write that with respect not to diminish someone or anything,
@@Therawpy You are absolutely right, even for Germans it is one! In both the terms is "-nacht" which is a challenge for any non German speaker. I totally can understand the use of Kristallnacht, just wanted to add the term Reichspogromnacht to the discussion and the point of view behind it.
Jedes Wort hat seine 2 Seiten. Every word can have multiple meanings. For me Kristallnacht has nothing shining, glittering and beautiful because i know exactly what it depicts.
I respect Germany for acknowledging the mistakes it has done in the past, unlike a lot of countries, that are too prowd to do anything like this!
*cough cough Japan cough cough*
@@PhilipFry. cough cough The US cough cough
Cough cough Great Britain cough cough
@@carlottaspadano5759 as a resident of the UK I say… nah we perfect
I think most countrys have a relative healthy relationship with history. Just some take it abit to far like germany and some ignore it to much like Russia.
I am American, born in Washington, DC - but I am also a German-American and German is my first language. I lived 30 years in Germany and I love Germany. Your video made me cry. I wish that the US would adopt this custom, too. Instead, many of our countrymen still vilify the minorities that were mistreated in the past. I live in SE Florida and there is no remorse for what was done to the natives of our region. People grumble that the Miccosukee run a successful hotel with restaurants and a casino on their land. After all that the US has done to make their lives miserable, this is hypocritical. People still treat the descendants of black slaves disrespectfully and our country still illegally occupies Hawaiʻi and permits many native Hawaiians to be homeless. Germans have learned from their disgraceful past - most Americans have not.
@ Never read so much BS than in your comment... you are feeding lies, so dear readers: Beware of his lies!
@ that somehow being conquered justifies genocide and land theft just because others have done it. That Blacks have more rights than whites. And that because some native people had cannibal rites this justifies them being dislodged from their lands.
@ When were Hawaian people cannibals? Please tell me, im curios. I study this and they were pretty advanced. But if you are in such a "We are better than these wild people"-bubble, Im afraid I cannot help you. And Indian culture died not completely, but it isnt really alife today, too. How could it, if you say to nomads "This is now your land, stay here".
@ it is also ridiculous to say that black people have more rights than whites. There is still a lot of racism in the world that actually lessens chances for people of colour. There are still targeted attacks on people of colour. There is still hatred against people of colour. What you are saying is like saying "jewish people do not face hatred and violence". Just don't say these things please. Genocide, racism, sexism and discrimination is never ok, BUT it is also still existant!!! Denying that is a lie.
@@ayodejiolowokere1076 There was No Land theft. It was war they lost, if you can't protect it Its not yours. Period... The Indians had hundreds of times more forces than the Army and Cavalry put together to EASILY Sweep the invadors into the sea, but they refused to put down their petty squabbles and Unite AND FIGHT TO DEFEND YOUR LAND, PERIOD INSTEAD OF WAGING WARS AGAINST EACH OTHER RIGHT UO
Yesterday a group of our school cleaned the Stolpersteine of our City :) .
I love that !
Yes, many people do clean them here in Berlin too. At least one time a year (11/9). I think the Stolpersteine are a great concept.
Every now and then people around here are putting candles next to the Stolpersteine. That way everybody just has to take a look at them.
@@marcorothley6039 that's beautiful
Thank you.
Nick, I live in Stuttgart and right in front of my house entrance there's such a Stolperstein.
And believe me - although it's set into the ground/pavement - every time I walk past it (not over it) I always think of those to me unknown people with all my heart. 🧡 And just as you I like that concept of a "stumble" stone in people's everyday life.
@@perliva Being brainwashed into having emphaty with other humans? I better not ask what ideology you subscribe to.
@@swanky_yuropean7514 Rheinwiesenlager. That is all.
@@perliva One bad makes the other bad less bad? I don't think so.
@@perliva Meine Fresse, in deiner Welt, in der Unrecht völlig ok geht und mit Unrecht gerechtfertigt wird, da will ich echt nicht leben.
@@phil3114 klingt nach Projektion und Sie beschreiben Ihre eigene Welt.
The Stolpersteine are very haunting - at least to me. If I'm not in a hurry I always take the time to read the names and what their fate was - if known. They are not only for jews but for all victims of the Nazis - no matter if they were murdered or survived. They are there to remember those people. And to remember how many fell victim to the Nazis.
Thx for this video!
@Steven West weil du aktuell keine Frösche findest an den du sonst leckst, oder was ist dein Auftrag? 🤔 *Kopfschüttel*
I mean, no other country ever came up with a word for this (incidentally, almost no other language lends itself to the creation of catchy compound words quite like German does, but considering just how important of a process it is it’s still commendable that they came up with it in the first place): Vergangenheitsbewältigung.
The fact that it’s an entire concept and there’s a proper label for it pretty much ensures it’s taken way more seriously than it would’ve been otherwise.
Erinnerungskultur is another word that I want to mention when it comes to this aspect. The literal translation is culture of remembrance. It describes the active interaction of the society with their past and history with the goal to keep their history in mind and to prevent the same horrors to happen again.
Nur ein kleiner Anstoß/Hinweis: Weil Vergangenheit nicht „bewältigt“ - also endgültig erledigt - werden kann, wird inzwischen mehrheitlich der Begriff Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung oder Aufarbeitung der Vergangenheit vorgezogen.[1] Begrifflich liegt der Schwerpunkt bei der Aufarbeitung der Vergangenheit in der Bestimmung von Verantwortung. Zudem setzt man sich beim Aufarbeiten mit der Vergangenheit als einem Prozess der Erinnerungskultur auseinander.
:)
I got teary-eyed during this video. A person from a different country, who just objectively talks about our past and respects us for dealing with it. You're not asking German people "Hey aren't you all Nazis?" or some variation of that question. Thank you so so much. It feels good being treated like a normal human being and not like someone from "the Nazi country".
Fühlt sich gut an, gell.
@@mullegegenmobbing160 Fühlt sich mega an.
I get that Munich decided against them. The local Jewish community spoke out against them, and you have to accept that. I don't think it is a problem that people sometimes walk over them without noticing. There are so many and you are not always observant, so it happens, but it isn't an act of disrespect. The important thing is, that they stand out much more than some plaque on a wall, there are plaques like that all over the place for all kinds of information. The stones are really hard to miss, every foreigner that comes to Germany notices them at some point. That I think was the idea of the artist, at least the term "Stolperstein" hints at that. It is a stone that you trip over, something you might not notice immediately but gets in your way from time to time.
And as it is all the same all over Germany it really gives a feeling of the ubiquity of that crime. They only exist for a fraction of victims, but still there is no town where you cannot find a few.
I would never notice something attached to a house wall, because there is so much advertisement for everything on house walls, BUT I always stumble over these "Stolpersteine", even if I can understand the argument against them.
Very well put, Daniel! "Gets in your way" - that's exactly the underlying meaning of "Stolperstein": something that hinders or distracts you from your intended walk. And that they do perfectly imo.
There are actually entire rows of these at the "Hackesche Höfe" in Berlin.
A few years ago, I was there to get some Christmas presents for my family when I noticed a tour guide and some kids at the entrance, speaking in English. The guide told them about what had happened to the people living at that place. Some of the kids were wearing kippahs, so I assumed they were from Israel. Unfortunately, the guide hadn't pointed out the stones in the ground to the children, so some of them were just standing on those "Stolpersteine". I kinda wanted to bring them to their attention, but I was a bit too reluctant and the situation felt too awkward for me, so I just left them alone.
actually you are supposed to walk over them, it keeps them nice and shiny,.
I grew up near by Bingen am Rhein in Germany and moved away to Switzerland before the Stolpersteine started. Many, many years later I walked through Bingen and was really shocked. Without the Stolpersteine I would never have realized what happened there.
I think the Stumbling Stones are a good and powerful way to remember these people. In contrast to a memorial plate on a wall, you actually stumble over them - not with your feet, but with your mind. You notice them, read the inscription and for a brief moment, you bring this person back to life. This is very important since the Nazis wanted to destroy their victims and eradicate all memories of them. Of millions of people, there is nothing left, no proof that they have ever existed, except their names. We HAVE to remember them. Sure, you can go to Yad Vashem in Israel were they collect as many names as they can find, but bringing the names back to the places were these people actually lived is even more powerful (and important) in my opinion.
The thing is, here in Germany ( and, of course, every where else ) they were not "just Jews" ( or political opposition, disabled or otherwise targets of the horrible bloodthirst that swept through Europe ).
They were neighbors, friends, colleagues, lovers, relatives and citizens who got murdered by the millions. This is why imo. it is so important to remember them here, where they lived.
Not just out of the utmost respect to them, to the people they were but also to never let their suffering become and isolated collection that could one day be ignored or forgotten.
Yeah I remember asking my mom what those shiny stones are for, and what's written on them, it's not another plaque on the wall, this is something different and it stands out.
Yeah and I also got taught to never step on them
I take the position that my generation is not responsible for the terrible crimes of the Third Reich, but we have a great responsibility to ensure that they are not forgotten and never repeated.
I encountered the Stolpersteine for the first time when I moved to Karlsruhe 14 years ago. Even today, I always take a closer look at when I pass them.
So I just want to thank you Nalf for this video and for your perspective as an American in Germany. 🙏
_„Even today, I always take a closer look at when I pass them.“_
This is what they want you to do. Bow and kneel. „Get down, slave!“
@@herzschlagerhoht5637 von was redest du?
@@perliva Bullshit! what they invite you to do is stop and reflect about the past ....
@@seinerechtehand6316 Es ist keine qualifizierte Antwort zu erwarten. Sinnlos.
@@hannahanna649 hat wahrscheinlich zu viele Facebook Fakten gelesen
I’m German, and when I was little my mum always teached me to never step on them. It is a fact of respect! Till this day I love to stop at them and read the names of the people they represent, it teached me to respect the holocaust and it also helped me to understand the reality of it.
I actually see that in a lot of comments as well.
The beautiful thing about Stolpersteine is, that you cannot not interact with them.
Sure, you can ignore them. Or you can walk over them. But doesn’t this mean, that you are essentially ignoring/trampling on the victims, just like the wider population back then did?
A really strong work of art, IMO. There are plenty in the big town near where I live. I don’t read every last one I encounter, but I take note and acknowledge them every time.
They are ment to be walked on. That way they keep their shine. Nobody has to be tend to those stones. We all do that collectively
@@smirglepapier531 That’s deep.
It reminds me of the Sarajevo 'roses'. In places where shells fell during the seige of Sarajevo the holes were filled in red so they should not be forgotten about. They look like splatters of blood. By nature, of course, they are on the ground and you may walk on them. I always walk around them.
I also agree 100% about German attitudes to their past and facing up to it. In many countries, including those of former Yugoslavia but many others too, there is a stubborn refusal to face up to, recognise, admit and apologise for crimes. Therefore, they are stuck in the past, unable to move on, each dwelling only on what others did to them and not facing up to what they did to others. Germany stands as an example of how to do it right. German children are taken to the sites of concentration camps. Children in some other countries have no idea what their countries have done.
Unfortunately the stubborness is growing in Germany. Looking away instead of acting is quite common, but ignoring is a type of agreeing. We all should have the cojones to act more often.
And small children question what these bronze stumbeling stones are. Especially when they cannot read yet.
When I was in Sarajevo I walked around them & true it seems to me we'll never move forward.
@@CediEntertainment
As longer time progresses, the less people will care about it. Thats normal. Because there's far greater distance.
We also watched videos from the concentration camps in 9th grade in Germany...
Just in my class one person passed out and another one had to puke afterwards. It was quite the shock therapy, but that's one of the best ways to directly face the past and learn from it.
I live in Vienna, we have Stolpersteine as well. we, Austrians, are just as guilty of the horrible crimes during the Nazi regime as Germany is. unfortunatly some og my fellow citizens like to pretend we were victims, but I disagree. especially if you consider that Hitler was actually austrian. we still have a lot to repair and we must never never ever forget!
hey, can you tell me where in Vienna they are?
@@tterexx426 pretty much all over the city. I know there's at least 4, in the 10th district, but I don't have any exact adresses for you. sorry.
@@takktakterakk thanks anyway. Will keep my eyes open for them!
Respekt, ich finde es traurig dass in Österreich die Geschichte nicht wirklich aufgearbeitet wird weil man sich genau wie Italien aus der Verantwortung zieht aber du bist ein tolles Beispiel dafür, dass das nicht bei allen so ist. Danke!
@@ageongki6744 hängt mit Stalin zusammen der es durchbrachte, dass Österreich als Opfer der Nazis gilt und nicht als Täter. Obwohl der Großteil der damaligen Österreicher sich als deutsche sahen und mit Stolz sich dem Reich anschlossen, wird leider häufig nicht erwähnt, dass das Östereichische Selbstbewusstsein als eigenes Volk erst wirklich mit dem Ende des 2. Weltkriegs begann.
Nalf, I think you're one of the most intelligent, decent and humble sportsmen alive. Eager to see how this second career works out. Just don't become a wedding planner... ;)
Thanks for the big laugh your concluding sentence gave me.
Yet the planning of his own wedding would give us great pleasure!
Hello from NYC and thanks for this amazing video! I found your channel after seeing a preview for this video on @Ryan Wass’s RUclips German channel and I subscribed to your channel and his right away!
My biggest takeaway watching your video, is the importance of being honest as a nation, and not hiding its horrific history/past. But instead putting it out there and TEACHING everyone about it, to make sure it NEVER happens again…unlike here in the USA.
And it’s really too bad this isn’t done here in the USA…Many from the far-right would rather hide the truth about our disgusting American history, and either pretend it didn’t happen and even omit or change it in American history books!
Now I can’t wait to get a copy of the book you found, “Why the Germans do it better”, which I believe should be a part of all American school curricula! Thanks again for your video! And God bless you! 🙏🏼❤️
Germany faces up to its past. It understands it in detail. It does everything it can to make the future a different tale to the past. A better story without making the past sound like a better story than it actually was
@; Only a guilt cult for those who have good reason to forget the past. Neo-Nazis or AfD fans come to mind.
lmao bullshit
@; I ain‘t talkin to you
@; oh hey how are you
I've seen houses in Cologne that had 12-15 of these in front of them. It's so important to never forget.
I have a lot of respect for your storytelling abilities. Thank you for sharing this with us.
I think you have understood the meaning behind the stumbling blocks correctly and summarized it perfectly. 👍
This is a great video! I am an Italian living in Germany and as such, in all honesty, I'm kinda envious of how conscious and educated German people are about this topic. In a way back then Italy was equally guilty of those horrors, but (generically speaking) it feels like people don't really care or remember that much. The education system in Italy is good, don't get me wrong, but the fascist/ww2 era is just another lesson in history class. Back when I was living in Florence i always used to pay my small homage to the Italian resistance, stopping at monuments and simply thinking, as I was walking on the very same ground those amazing people were walking on aswell. I really admire my German friends for the respect they pay to this and I sincerely wish Italy could one day do the same. Cheers!
I recently got the chance to be at a ceremony in my hometown where they put some stumbling stones in the ground. The town invited the descendants of the family‘s survivors from all around the world to be there as well for free. The atmosphere was incredible and it once again makes one remember that we are able to grow and learn from our mistakes.
Danke für dieses Video über einen wichtigen Punkt in unserer Geschichte und wie man damit umgehen sollte...wenn so etwas nie wieder geschehen soll dann ist Aufklärung und Bildung DER Weg! Und das gilt nicht nur für deutsche Geschichte!!!
Leider sind mir in den Kommentaren einige Bemerkungen aufgefallen die zeigen das es leider immer noch Menschen gibt die in den letzten 50 Jahren nichts aber auch gar nichts aus dieser Geschichte gelernt haben...habe mir erlaubt diese zu melden - etwas was ich tatsächlich noch nie gemacht habe...aber da ist für mich eine Grenze erreicht.
Thank you for this post and your reminder that some people seem determined not to learn from the past. And thank you for taking steps to report them.
The famous German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770 - 1831) once made the pessimistic annotation: "We learn from history that we don't learn from history". I really hope that he was wrong!! Thank you for your film and your touching words, Nick!
Sorry but Hegel was right. It's the tendency of fallen human nature. The people who were born some 100 years ago and fought in WW2, if they saw what's going on just this week in Germany, they'd be appalled.
And the horrific thing is that this was said about 250 years ago
@@herbieklein2271 It's human nature, hasn't changed in 3000 years.
@@B.A.B.G. sadly 😢
@@herbieklein2271 There is an option though. Ein Ausweg aus dieser Lage.
I really admire you, Nick, for wanting to see the wider worldview. Your stay in Germany, I imagine, has sparked that. I am crying as I note that Moses Lewkowitz was only 6 years old when he was expelled to Poland and no one knows what happened to him. But I think we know what probably happened. Rest in Peace, Moses... It is tragic that you and the world never got to know each other...
Thank you for handling this topic so respectfully. When I was a school girl at the age of 15 I went on a school exchange to Poland. There we visitied Ausschwitz - the concentration camp. I've seen with my own eyes this horrible place and we all had to cry there. History became "real" in this moment There was an exhibition of stuff from the murdered people - shoes, glasses, and so on. When I saw children shoes, I barely couldn't handle it.
I'm German and I say "never again". Therefore it's important to have such things like "Stolpersteine". Behind every history book lesson there were real human beings who went through this times.
Every country has a bad past. You don’t see the Turkish apologise for the actions of the ottomans or the Brits for their empire. Or the Russians for the Soviet union. They murdered more people than the Germans ever did. It’s time Germans stopped holding guilt. It was different back then. All countries done evil things. Look what the allies did to Dresden. No one talks about that
Thank you for talking about this. I'm in Berlin this week (from Oregon!) for the laying of two stolpersteine laid in honor of my dad and grandmother. My dad was not quite 8 when they were arrested and deported to a camp in Czechoslovakia. They both survived 2 years until liberated by the Russian Army near then end of the war. Of the 15k children that went through his camp, he was one of less than 150 that survived. I'm also a fan of the memorials. About a dozen strangers gathered during the little ceremony, and we talked with several people who noticed the stolpersteine were new, and were touched at how people respect and are not afraid of the past. It pains me to the core thinking about what my dad went through as a little boy, and how millions others like him didn't survive.
Impressed with this video Nalf....Totally agree with you....have them here in Holland too and I like to pause when I see them and think and be grateful. X
🤍
On the other hand, I do not see them for resistance who were also transported to the same concentration camps, tortured and executed, nor for hostages who were executed, nor for political prisoners, gay people, journalists, artists, gypsies and all others who were murdered, because of who they were or what they stood for.
Nur für Juden, gives me a very bad feeling, even when intended positive.
@@dutchman7623 i could not tell anything about Stolpersteine in the Netherlands, but in Germany they are for all kinds of Nazi victims.
But maybe, you see more jewish ones , because there were more jewish victims.
Never heard of these in the many years of traveling in Germany. I am sure I have walked past them but now I will have to look for these when I return to Germany.
You can find that in over 1200 Citys in Germany.
I'm sure now that you know you'll see them everywhere, there are a lot!
On Patreon a few days, Nalf’s patrons were given behind the scenes footage that went to make up the player interview sections in “The Unlikely Champions of Europe”. This allowed us to see at first-hand two things which won’t be apparent to others. First, Nalf has real skill as an interviewer, putting the men he’s interviewing at ease and asking the best questions. Second, we’re presented with the raw material of almost 53 minutes of interviews and can witness the skillful results of his editing talent in the YT video itself. Oh, and one other thing is revealed: how hard this man works to turn so much footage into just a few, perfect minutes for our entertainment.
TSGO
Nick, I am also an American, from Reno, NV, living and working for the past nine years in Gelsenkirchen/Duisburg. Only a months ago I asked some of my friends about the reasoning and importance of the "Stolpersteinen." I was completely shocked after learning their meaning and importance!! Thanks for sharing your video! 🇺🇸🇩🇪🇩🇪🇺🇸🍻🤘🏻
I was born in Germany and in my Hometown you can see so many of them. You can also find a monument of a Synagoge.
Since my childhood I walk past them and in school we were told the stories. There is a story behind every stone. A Life… So many thoughts
We have those stones in the Netherlands also. I live in Enschede and they are everywhere.
Loved the video! Will use it in my English lessons tomorrow. Some listening comprehension as well as history education :)
I would love to hear the students' reaction (and a short feedback whether I messed up the apostrophe or not 😐)
@@TheRealChaosQueen it was a really nice conversation starter and, surprisingly, about half the class didn't know about the Stolpersteine. They now have the assignment to keep their eyes open and take a picture the next time they come across one. They especially felt what Nick also said in his video: that it is a much more personal way of remembering than going to a museum.
And: your apostrophe is spot on ;)
Thank you for your answer!
I think, this lessons might leave a trace in their heads. To see how close those victims actually are. Their grandchildren should be our neighbours, but they were never born.
Thank you, Nalf, for this video on an important topic. ❤️ I’m German, and I hope that education on this dark part of our history will never stop!
I pray that people learn to recognize and sensibly react on early warning signs, in order to prevent such horror to repeat itself in any form whatsoever. I really appreciate the effort you’re putting into creating your precious videos! 😊
@@manofkent6560 you are quite out of your mind. Racist are not wanted in tis comment section.
What I love is how the Stolpersteine make you realize that the whole world is a museum. History isn't just fancy buildings and battle grounds and faraway countries, it's everywhere, all around us.
Countries across the globe should adopt these and implement similar concepts. This is respectful to the good souls and a reminder to never repeat the mistakes. Kashmiri hindu pandit genocide, Armenian genocide, Afghan genocide, Cambodian genocide and many more should also be remembered so the future is secure. Good work, Germany :) Hats off to you.
Uygur genocide CURRENTLY ongoing in china apparently doesn't fit the criteria. It's easy to remember and it's easy to repeat words.
Acting on these words is a different matter
The nice thing is, that it gets recognized by someone like you, Nick.
I live in Monheim am Rhein, and our town encourages people to engage, remember and even to clean the Stolpersteine. They have an extra webpage set up on their "town-homepage" where you can find some background, an instruction how to clean the Stolpersteine and an town-map with all the locations where you can find the Stolpersteine.
Couple years ago I took my youngest kid to clean some of them, and it was a precious time together.
In terms of food for thought or expressing your feelings about Germany and its people probably your best video yet.
Although I am 50+, I have been following your vlog for some time as I have lived in the US for 6 years.
There is also a "Stolperstein" in front of my house (in Hamburg) and yes, noticing and reading the name, looking at and inspecting the building somehow makes you think and briefly connect with the person you are remembering through this unique form of a plaque.
You describe exactly how the German people are aware of their past and how serious they take it. And you also seem to understand this feeling and artuculate it really well in your video. Looking forward to reading this book too!
Hey Nalf! Martin (33, German) here! Just wanted to say thank you! Thank you that you use your channel to address this difficult topic. Thank you for also recognizing theses efforts. I appreciate it! The burden that we as a German people carry is often hard to explain to foreigners. But we try our best and your video shows it and puts it into context for others. I love the Stolpersteine as well! Here in Berlin (where I live) entire neighborhoofs are full with them. People often gather on the 9th of November to clean and polish the Stolpersteine. They light candles and lay down flowers to remember their neighbors, who used to live here.
As you might know, we also have this huge memorial for the murdered Jews of Europe in the city center. It is an important place, where we remember the millions of people who lost their life in the Holocaust. Unfortunately this place has become an Instagram and social media location. People take inappropriate photos there, they jump from one to another stone, picnic on top of them or do fashion shootings there. It really upsets me everytime I see this. I just wanted to point that out to you, as not everybody is respecting the past and the dead.
But again, thank you for your video!
You should read for audio books, you voice is very .....steady and calming.
Thank you so much for this interesting video and the way you tell the story ! I live in Cologne and there are many 'Stolpersteine' aswell..... they make me think too every time I walk past them. Best wishes from Cologne 🤗
When I applied for my German citizenship, I had to learn about (and pass a test,) the Kristallnacht and many other events from the past. This video helped me understand why and appreciate it more, thanks.
Thank you for saying sth nice about my Country in the internet. Its a rare Thing to See. I appreciate that!
"Those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it." - This couldn't be more true today.
Unfortunately people will look back at these years the way we look back at the 1930s a few decades from now.
As soon as the generation that experienced the atrocities dies, so does the lesson, usually.
Hey Nalf, really appreciate this video. Just an information for everyone, not meant as a criticism: the term "Reichskristallnacht" is not so much used anymore in Germany, but rather criticized because it is said to sound euphemistic. Rather the term "Reichsprogromnacht" is better to be used, because it implies what that night really was about.
Peace.
Totally agree. What makes me crazy is that a lot of former nazi allies throw shade on Germany for the nazi times but Germany has completely faced their past and learnt from it while these other countries just try to make it look like they were victims and only Germany was the sole bad actor. Nonsense. Some of these countries absolve themselves of all sins and point fingers to Germany instead of doing their homework and face their own horrendous crimes.
Now you know how Americans feel lol.
@@fupoflapo2386 only that america never faced their past and still teach that the founding fathers were great people, that natives didn't get slaughtered like animals and that throwing nuclear bombs on already destroyed japan is okay.
@@Andreas-pj6np stay deluded my friend. Keep the meme alive.
Japan
@lil slayer If that is a response to my comment, I was not referring to the USA, read my comment again, I clearly refer to "former nazi allies".
Wehn i was in school , the men of the stumble stones came to my town (Marburg in Hessen); and my class annd I helped him with the stones.
We have that in austria as well! On the dates horrible things happened there are sometimes "Mahnwachen" where people gather around the stolpersteine and think about the victims, lay down flowers and candles etc. It feels really humbling to go to work the next day and see the candles and flowers still laying there, bringing a culture of remembrence to our everyday life.
Omg are you joking? I live in Schwäbisch Hall, I know that store !!
Stolpersteine are pretty common here in Germany, you’ll find them in every bigger city I think.
I always hope people around the world recognize our efforts so I was very happy about this video
Thank you, let’s work together, not against each other to prevent things like that to happen again!🙏🏻🙌🏻
Awesome video, Nick. Thank you so much. And I agree with your opinion on the 'stones'.
The very name; "stumbling stones" has so much emotion in it.
You live in a cool place.
Loved this excerpt from the book - we will have to get that! Kevin and I also really respect how Germany has done an amazing job in making restitution and reparations. It’s incredible how they’ve taken their dark past and turned it around to make a fantastic country. I’m proud to live here. I think this is a big part of why racial problems continue in the US. I mean, Germany made anything that was related to Nazism illegal. I can imagine doing something like that in America as it relates to racist symbols, statues, etc. would help. And that’s just one of the many things Germany has done to improve.
I wouldn't say Germany is doing an amazing job in making restitution and reparations at the moment. The genocide of the Ovaherero and Nama is also part of German history. The descendants of the survivors in what is now Namibia have been fighting for recognition and justice for decades, but fully acknowledging the atrocities committed by German colonizers, taking responsibility for them and meeting the requirements of the Ovaherero and Nama seems still impossible for the German government. As a German, this makes me angry and ashamed.
Germany has improved. But it's far from a fantastic country. Is it better than US yes. Absolutely by a long shot. Is it fantastic no. If you dig deep enough you see all the filth. Homeless people living in shelters even tho they have a good paying job because they once had debt and no landlord is wanna take the "risk". It's abhorrent. The whole minimum wage just being a Lil bit more than Hartz 4. Around 50% of Germans don't have enough to actually effecrively save up money. But I guess you never were unemployed for a longer period of time and had to deal with Zeitarbeitsfirmen.
Hey Nalf,
I just wanted to let you know how much I, a nearly 40y/o german, enjoy watching your videos. I Love your perspective and appreciate your video making skills. You're doing so well. Thank you for letting me see my country through your eyes ❤
"Remember to not repeat" is a quote my history teacher always said, we were shown not the common documentaries, but interviews of survivors, pictures and drawings from when the war ended, the pile of bodies...
The full brutal side and thats what stays in your mind and you dont want to see again
You should NEVER sugarcoat history and i thank my teacher for doing that
Just textbooks dont give it like it acually ws
One thing i have to add to the german guys statement at the end is that while germany in paricular should make sure it doesnt happen again it isnt just germany that has that responsibilty, it is everyone whereever they live
As German: thank you so much for this video! Not just for informing, but especially for knowing/learning details about our history. Not many foreigners do.
About a year ago, I and a few fiends volunteered on a Programm at our school where we went through the city in groups and cleaned these. It was an interesting experience and I can't help but notice them all the time ever since
@Steven West könnte es sein das du da aufm Rückweg aus den Niederlanden warst?
Wenn du an der Aufarbeitung von Verbrechen so interessiert bist, solltest du vielleicht Hammer und Sichel in deinem Profilbild Überdenken.
You're so relevant, educated and empathetic. One of your best videos. It really captivated me and made me listen attentively. I hope we can hold the bad people at bay. We seem to be failing more and more. Germany needs a reminder sometimes that we can be strong together.
German here. Three of these Stolpersteine are placed in front of my late grandfathers house. After he died in 2018 aged 84, my mother and aunt, who were his sole heirs, decided to sell his house (something i'd have like not to have happened, but that is outside my influence). There were many partys interested in buying it, and some of them wanted the Stolpersteine removed. Every single one who wanted the Stolpersteine removed was immediately out of the question for who would be considered. Keeping the stones as they are ended up being part of the buyers contract; regardless of any possible future legislation that may ultimately allow them to do so. While my personal memories of this place as i grew up are ones of joy, love and security, the horror of the past that is forever associated with that house, wich i only learned of in my late teens, must not be forgotten. Although the decision to cut the ones who wanted the stones removed out of the picture when searching for a buyer should be a given to begin with, i'm proud of my mother and aunt for doing so. Because especially over the past years, these ideals seem to diminish, wich is, especially as german, horrifiying.
This is so important to us. We get confronted with the past so often and some people told me, they are fed up about taking the blame and being confronted with it. But I must say, because in school we've learned sooooo much about it, we learn a lot about empathy and charity. Those who listened in school are far better people. Sadly this isn't taught in other countries and there is also a wave of Germans who didn't listen, thus right-winged-parties are getting popular and antisemitism is still going.
What makes me sick is that whenever I traveled, ever so often I get comfronted with people that are just soooo facinated that I come from the "Naźi Reich". Someone even called us "Naźi Girls" 2013. We were 16. He was about 20. Urgh...
Gerade das ist doch eine Sache die leute nach rechts bringt. Das sie immernoch im Ausland beschimpft werden obwohl sie damit nichts zu tun haben
@@k_u_e_r_i_s_u_e deswegen wird man dann wirklich rechts? das ist so sinnlos. Ich werde nicht automatisch und aus Provokation zum Rassisten, wenn mich jemand als Rassisten beleidigt.
Wer wegen sowas rechts wird, war es schon vorher
@@larasgate3 Nein aber es lässt Menschen intolerant und feindlich gegenüber anderen werden, wenn sie erst Jahre lang die Geschichte von Nazis sich anhören müssen mit denen sie nichts zu tun hatten und dann ständig dafür noch beleidigt werden von Ausländern
@@k_u_e_r_i_s_u_e scheinst "viel" zu reisen. Oder dich daneben zu benehmen. Hatte im Vergleich zu negativen Erlebnissen fast ausschließlich positive bezüglich der dt Nationalität im Ausland, was mich stellenweise schon fast verwunderte denn ich kann gut verstehen wenn die Leute stellenweise immer noch Vorbehalte haben.
You seem to travel a "lot"...or maybe don't behave that well in other countries. Personally i nearly had only positive feedback when i was telling that I'm german basically everywhere in the world up to the point that I was even quite a bit in disbelief because i can understand why people still might express reservation.
@@Flaschenteufel Schön wenn sie so viele tolle Erlebnisse hatten. Das trifft aber nicht auf alle zu. Ich habe teilweise sehr negative erlebnisse gehabt wo ich für Verbrechen von anderern Menschen verantwortlich gemacht wurde. Ihre Mutmaßungen im ersten Satz ignorier ich einfach mal, sie können sich ja scheinbar nicht mal im Internet benehmen
I really appreciate that you try to look at my home country differentiated.
Thank you for that and the respect you have for us!
Thank you Nick. Your respect for how the Germans face their history says a lot about your human quality too. Respekt!!
You can't ignore them. They're in our everyday life, everywhere. You have to take a bow or even kneel to read them.
The Stolpersteine are one of the most impressive memorials.
Great vid, Nalf, thank you!
I think that videos like these, especially from ,,non-germans" are very important for germany. You know, i'm a 19 Years old german teen and the last year i served as a soldier in the ,,Bundeswehr", the german army. And in the first few months i hadn't have my drivers liscence yet. And there is a thing in some parts of germany, that when you take the train in your uniform, you can drive for free. And those were the moments, where i experienced the suffering from the mistakes of our ancestors, my ancestors, the most. The german people were those who yelled ,,Nazi" on the open at me. The german people were the rude ones. And one time, i stepped out of the train to go home, and a tourist came to me. He said in english ,,thank you my guy" and i said ,,im sorry, for what?" and he replied ,,for your service for this country.". At first, i smiled, but then, i got sad. My very own people are the rude ones. Those, who i would need to prtect if something happens. Those, who would need my help and those, who are from another country, just here to visit and mybe learn. Those who have literally nothing to do with me are the ones who thank me. Our history only gets referred by other country when something bad happens, maybe when our politicians f*ck something up. But our own people are the ones, who causes the problems. The following isn't meant to be disrespectful meant to any nationality or religion or anything else, but the ones who suffer the most of germanys past, are the germans. When an American, mexican, russian or anyone else call me a nazi, that doesnt bother me. I dont even care. But when my very own people call me that, thats when it hurts. And it hurts a lot...
As a german i loved this video. Those stones were always something i knew, nothing special.. but hear you talk about them so fascinated makes me really happy :)
Those stones are a perfect metaphor.
They are like real persons.
You pass by, and have to make a desicion. Do you want to be respectful? Do you just ignore them, pretend not to see them? We do that a lot, with the poor, homeless, people with disabilities... Do you literally walk over them like Nazis did and still do?
There are many stumble stones in my area, I try to never step on one, not even in a hurry. Often I read their names.
My seven year old daughter basically knows why the stones are there, but I don't dare to go into detail for now.
And of course it is not my fault what happened.
But it would be if that would happen again.
What if you're in a wheel chair? you cant really lift the chair
Nick, outstanding video mate well done. On my way to work in Frankfurt I walk over eight of these memorials and still regularly look and read them. I had no idea who, when or how they were placed so thanks for filling in the gap for me. Strangely this week four of them have had the text repainted and have been polished up….I wonder who did this…whoever, respect.
Some people go out and polish these Stolpersteine, often done around November 9th to commemorate Reichsprogromnacht.
@@silkeesser thanks for the info. What a wonderful thing to do 😊
One of your best videos, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I am a German viewer and yes these things are normal for me. But your channel shows me everything from a different point of view. Through you I rediscover what is everyday life for me. Thanks for your beautiful videos.
I dont know why but the second you looked at the ground, I knew you were looking for the Stolpersteine. Man, I am glad we are at the point where we are.
Thank you for always catch the vibe with your camera.
Respect to you Nalf for bringing this ip to your community. They are a wonderful memorial.
Thank You for bringing this up. Since I have been in Germany 8 Months I have learned so much of Germany's history. The German people are great historians. I love it!
I love how aware people are of theses stones and their history as well. When i was in school i got the opportunity to be a "godfather" to one of these stones. So i was there, when it was laid and i presented a little bit of history about the person it was in honor of. Now the artist told us whenever we see stones that are not as shiny anymore, to rub over them with your feet, so that the oxidized layer comes off. A woman saw me doing that and was telling me to stop because i was beeing disrespectful. I told her why i did it, but i think it was great, that she knew about what the stones meant and tried to honor them by approaching me.
I didn't know that they're not a thing in munich... I think the idea of having the Stolpersteine on the ground is much better than on a wall.
There are so many signs on walls that I don't really notice them. Being on the ground makes them more special and I feel like you're more likely to notice them. It makes them more unique and also you have to kind of bow to read them which is a nice gesture of respect.
Also I don't think many people step on them - I noticed that I always try to NOT step on them and I've seen many people do the same! Sometimes when people accidently stand on them and they notice, you can tell they're sorry and then take the time to read them!
This is exactly not only my observation but my own behavior. I also explain my children what they stand for and why not to step on them. But I somewhat see the reason why some think to better not put them on the ground.
I love how we treat our dark past.
It's our duty that those Events will never happen again.
Nalf, thank you so much. You made THE video on the Reichskristallnacht anniversary this year.
Thank you for putting emphasis on a topic like this. Knowing about the past is more important than ever. For all of us, no matter what country we are from.
I can understand the Argument of "disrespectful by walking over them" - and I agree.
But, walking over them is disrespectful - you do not do this as you do not climb upon some other Memorials.
They are meant to be there where they are, as it is so easy to walk over them as it is to forget. The Place in the Ground is a Part of them beeing "powerful".
Many Germans will frown upon stepping on them or even make some other "Remark" about it, even it may not be done with Words spoken.
To be aware of them is a step that forces us to remind us of how easy we forget, do the same mistake, oversimplify things and all of that, that caused the original Tradgedy in the first Place.
Also, originally, they were not leveled, they stood up a bit so you stumbled over them when not paying attention to them - but that was kinda "illegal" as it was a safety hazard.
So, I also liked the original ones, and as there were changes made to make them "less prominent" I must say, I can unterstand and will also agree to thoose who think that putting them down there is "disrespectful" and thus them beeing put elsewhere - as the original artistic value is not there as it was intended to be and thus the respect towards the Victims weights more heavy than the artistic Value. Still, it is a very controversial Subject and I am not in a Position to make any judgement here aside of having Grandparents who taught us latter Generations to not fall for the same Bullcrap and not repeat their Mistakes.
My grandpa died in the concentration Camp. That poor fella fell down the watch towers
"Stolpersteine", for me as a german born in `79, is easily the most amazing arts project EVER. Amazing in a sombre, serious, appropriate way. Yes, I can see the controversy, but: They are literally meant to make you stumble, they are were your gaze is while you are minding you busines, you don´t need to look for them to notice them. And what really gets you right in the guts when you are walking down a pedestrian zone is just the sheer number. How many there are, and it´s nowhere near finished, but it gives you some perspective on the numbers you read in history class. And it gives the victims their names back, which is at least as important in order to wrap your head around what actually happened.
As Maxim Gorki wrote about his "Master novels": " You need to plant a hedgehog inside the human´s skull, so it never comes to rest"
I just don't understand how people can give a dislike to a video like this. Like wtf is wrong in their minds.
There is a smug racist in the comments... silly, little troll.
@@sisuguillam5109 Not only one, unfortunately
@@hannahanna649 they are probably leaving messages for each other on 4chan begging each other to spam the comments.
Pathetisch little sh!ts.
@@sisuguillam5109 So we better don't do them the favor to react to their brainwashed comments.
@@hannahanna649 maybe... but I do not want them to feel like we are condoning them by being silent.
Hard call to make.
I have the same feeling about the Stolpersteine. The way they sneak into your consciousness during everyday life is very powerful.
Wow, I love that. I love your videos! My maternal grandmother was German and I just love learning everything I can about the culture. TY!
A while back I cleaned the stumbling stones in my city with a big group of kids my age. We spend hours cleaning every single one we came across, but it was worth it.