Stumbling Stones Jozef Israëlsstraat 16

These small, brass memorial plaques (Stolpersteine or stumbling stones) commemorate:

Moritz Lijon
Born: February 10, 1863 in Guhringen (Goryn) Poland
Deported to Westerbork: March 9, 1943
Murdered: January 28, 1944 at Auschwitz

Hulda Lijon-Pinkus
Born: 6 June 1875 in Beuthen (Bytom) Poland
Deported to Westerbork: April 16, 1943
Died: November 27, 1943 in Westerbork

Moritz Lïjon and Hulda Pinkus married and travelled around the world. In 1937 at ages 74 and 62, they visited a son in Mexico with plans to emigrate there, but Hulda could not tolerate the climate and was given medical advice to return to Europe. In September 1938 they settled at this Jozef Israëlsstraat 16 address in Groningen. They spent the first years of the war in cramped conditions and were forced to sell their property. Hulda was in poor health. They depended on the Jewish Council for support.

Moritz and Hulda, now ages 80 and 68, were taken separately to Westerbork – he in March 1943 and she, from a hospital, the next month. She stayed in the Westerbork hospital and died there in November. On 25 January 1944 Moritz Lijon was deported to Auschwitz, where, shortly after arriving, he was murdered in one of the eight gas chambers.

"Stolpersteine" is an art project for Europe by Gunter Demnig to commemorate victims of National Socialism (Nazism). Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) are small, 10x10cm brass plaques placed in the pavement in front of the last voluntary residence of (mostly Jewish) victims who were murdered by the Nazis. Each plaque is engraved with the victim’s name, date of birth, and place (mostly a concentration camp) and date of death. By doing this, Gunter Demnig gives an individual memorial to each victim. One stone, one name, one person. He cites the Talmud: "A human being is forgotten only when his or her name is forgotten."

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Bert Deelman & Anne Palmer
• Photos: Suzanne Matrosov-Vruggink (1), Bert Deelman (2, 3), Suzanne Matrosov-Vruggink (4)
• Biografie Familie Lijon
• Yad Vashem Deportation Database: Westerbork – Auschwitz, 25 January 1944
• Stolpersteine.eu
• Familie Lijon