Small towns in Germany criticize ban on installing bronze plaques commemorating Nazi victims

“Shocking incident” and “completely wrong approach” Strong criticism from all quarters

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Oh Soo-jin = DPA news agency and BBC reported on the 26th (local time) that the installation of a memorial plaque commemorating Nazi victims was banned in a small German city due to opposition from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the centrist-conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), sparking strong criticism from all walks of life.

The city council of Heidenau, Saxony, Germany, proposed a ban on the installation of stolperstein (stumbling blocks) in the area, proposed by AfD and CDU members, and passed it on the 24th. The AfD is rapidly increasing its influence by recently winning two consecutive state elections in the former East Germany, while the CDU is a political party headed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Lawmakers who proposed the motion argued that many families of Holocaust victims consider this an inappropriate way to commemorate Stolperstein because it requires passers-by to step on it.

The Stolperstein, which measures about 10 cm in length and width, is a monument engraved with the names, origins, birthdays, and dates of death of Nazi victims, and is installed in a form similar to a sidewalk block on the road in front of the victim's home or workplace.

As can be seen from the name of the copper plate called Stumbling Stone, it mainly serves to make people look back on the historical meaning of the place when they discover it by chance. To date, more than 130,000 units have been installed in 33 countries, including Germany.

When the news became known that the Heidenau City Council had banned the installation of Stolperstein, Karin Frien, Germany's Minister of Education, Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, could not hide her embarrassment, describing the incident as a "shocking incident" (Scandal) through the German daily Bild.

Gunther Deminich, the artist who first launched the Stolpersteine ​​installation project, said it was "natural for this to happen" given the AfD's recent election victory and accused the CDU of "letting go of its Christian roots."

Even within the CDU, voices are emerging that the CDU is responsible for this decision.

Ron Prosor, Israel's ambassador to Germany, expressed his frustration through X (old Twitter), saying, "It's a shame."

Ambassador Prosor argued that “Germany must establish a clear line of defense against anti-Semitism, regardless of where it originates: right-wing, left-wing, or Islamist forces.”