Stumbling Stones Marckmannstraße 129 / 135

In front of the "Institut für Hygiene und Umwelt" in Hamburg are 35 memorial plaques (Stolpersteine or stumbling stones). They commemorate 56 childeren who were killed at the former Kinderkrankenhaus Rothenburgsort(Rothenburgsort Children's Hospital) by the Nazis because they were physically or mentally handicapped.

Thirty-three stolpersteine commemorate the children known individually by name. Another stolperstein commemorates the unknown children. Finally, the stolperstein in the upper left-hand corner commemorates the Jewish pediatrician Dr. Carl Stamm, who was the head doctor here until 1939 when he was replaced by the Nazi "doctor" responsible for murdering the children.

Also at this location is a large plaque in German. Translated, it states:

- Former Rothenburgsort Children's Hospital
Between 1941 and 1945, more than 50 disabled children were killed in this building. An expert committee classified them as an "unworthy life" and instructed they be killed in the children's wards.
The Hamburg health administration was involved.
Hamburg medical officers monitored the admission and killing of children.
Doctors of the Children's Hospital carried out the orders.
None of the participants was prosecuted.

"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."

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Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries & Anne Palmer
• Photos: Harry Treff Thomas Krenz (1), Bernd Carstensen (2), Bernd Carstensen (3)
• Stolpersteine in Hamburg
• Gedenkstätten in Hamburg
• Stolpersteine.eu