Stumbling Stones Wollhausstraße 40

These memorial stones (Stolpersteine or stumbling stones) commemorate:
* Karl Kahn, born 1890, deported 1942 to Theresienstadt, Auschwitz murdered 06 October 1944.
* Rita Kahn née Meyer, born 1906, deported 1942 to Theresienstadt, Auschwitz murdered 06 October 1944.

Karl Kahn, a teacher and Rita Meyer married in 1929 and had one son, Hans, born the next year. Karl Kahn became director of a school for Jewish children in 1933 and then 6 years later became the cantor of the synagogue. That same year, he and Rita sent Hans on a Kindertransport to England. They stayed in Heilbron, helping to arrange emigrations. In 1941, they were forced to move to Stuttgart. The following year on 22 August 1942 they were deported on the same transport to Theresienstadt. Then two years later came their deportations to Auschwitz: Karl was deported on 28 September and Rita on 06 October. Both were murdered in Auschwitz on the day Rita arrived.

Their son, survived and submitted testimony about his parents to Yad Vashem in 1988. He gave his name as Yoash Harry (Hans) Kahn and gave addresses in both Jerusalem and London.


"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: Anne Palmer & Mary Craig
• Photos: Mary Craig
• Yad Vashem Transports to Extinction
• Mary Craig, Chapter This: Stolpersteine, 2014
• Stolpersteine.eu