Stumbling Stones Hofstraat 59

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

* Mozes van Gelderen, born 1875, deported 10 April 1943, murdered 30 April 1943, Sobibor.
* Vrouwke Elisabeth van Gelderen-van Raalte, born 1881, deported 10 April 1943, murdered 30 April 1943, Sobibor.

Mozes van Gelderen and his wife, Vrouwke Elisabeth van Gelderen–van Raalte, were both born in Kampen. After marriage, they lived in the small, upstairs apartment at this address. At ground level was the storehouse for his textile sales business. She worked as a dressmaker. The couple had three daughters, two of whom died before the war – at age 9 and at age 20. The third went to the Dutch East Indies with her husband and survived the war.

Mozes and Frouwke van Gelderen did not survive. On 10 April 1943, they were taken from their home to Westerbork. They were next deported to the Sobibor extermination camp and murdered there on 30 April 1943.

"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."

For more information and pictures, please visit Stolpersteine Kampen (in Dutch).

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