Stumblin Stone Nieuwstraat 35

This small brass plaque (Stolperstein or Stumbling Stone), placed on 27-6-2024, commemorate:

Ruth Kantorowicz, born 1901, fled Germany in 1936, interned on 2-8-1942 in Amerfoort and deported from Westerbork to Auschwitz in 1942 and murdered there on 30-9-1942.

A native of Germany and a native of Hamburg. Raised in the Jewish tradition but she converted to the Catholic faith and eventually joined the Ursulines. She was a guest there. She was a graduate economist and a PhD, moreover. At the Ursulines, she worked out the notes of Jewish philosopher Edith Stein, which served as the basis for her later published work. A woman of intellect. She could not join the order because of her weak constitution and extremely nervous nature. In response to a read-out protest against the deportations of Jews, in a church service, the SD randomly rounded up Jewish people. She was one of them. When the mother superior pointed out, Ruth had been baptised, the SD officer said: 'you can wash a pig with water, but it's still a pig'. All the other mixed-married Jews were released again. Only she wasn't... She became the first person deported in Venlo. She did not survive the Holocaust.

A stone was also laid for her in Hamburg at Eimsbütteler Chaussee 63.

"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 a 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: TracesOfWar & Herdenken in Venlo
• Photos: Herdenken in Venlo
• https://www.joodsmonument.nl/nl/page/27763/ruth-renate-friederike-kantorowicz