Stumbling Stones Rathausstraße

These Stolpersteine commemorate Wilfrid Israel and the Kaufhaus Nathan Israel, which was located on this site at the time.

The Kaufhaus Nathan Israel was the oldest and, for a long time, the largest department store in Berlin. In 1939, the last owner Wilfred Israel was forced to sell the department store as part of arisation. It indirectly remained in Jewish hands anyway because the buyer, Koester AG was owned by Jewish entrepreneur Jakob Michael who had emigrated earlier. In 1943, the building was destroyed by bombs and the remains were demolished after the war.

Wilfred Israel emigrated to Britain in 1939 and, right from the Nazis' seizure of power in 1933, devoted himself to saving Jews. In 1942, he was involved in the departure of 750 stranded Jewish refugees from Spain and Portugal. During his return flight from Lisbon to London, the civilian plane he was travelling in was shot down by the Luftwaffe and he was killed.

"Stolpersteine" is an art project in Europe by Gunter Demnig to commemorate victims of National Socialism (Nazism).
Stolpersteine (trip stones) are small, 10x10cm brass plaques placed in the pavement in front of a residence of (mostly Jewish) victims murdered by the Nazis. Each plaque is engraved with the victim's name, date of birth and place (usually a Concentration Camp) and date of death. In this way, Gunter Demnig gives an individual memorial to each victim. One stone, one name, one person. He quotes the Talmud: "A person is forgotten only when his or her name is forgotten."

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

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Source

• Text: Traces of War
• Photos: Jan de Jager