Stumbling Stones Kalchstraße 8

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

* Julius Guggenheimer, born 1895, fled to the Netherlands, interned Westerbork, deported 1943 Sobibor, murdered 4 June 1943.
* Regina Kornelie Guggenheimer née Metzger, born 1891, fled to the Netherlands, interned Westerbork, deported 1943 Sobibor, murdered 4 June 1943.
* Lotte Lore Guggenheimer, married name Michaelis, born 1913, fled 1939 to England.
* Fritz Heinrich Guggenheimer, Fred Grant, born 1920, ‘protective custody’ 1939 Dachau, fled 1939 to England.

Julius Guggenheimer and Regina Metzger married in 1912. They had two children, Fritz and Lotte-Lore. In 1919, he took over his family’s business and transformed it into a white goods, woolens and hat shop at today’s Kalchstrasse 47. The family lived above the "Elephanten" Pharmacy at Kalchstrasse 8.

He served as an officer in World War I, intent on protecting Memmingen. From 1919-1922, he was a leader in the Israelite cultural committee. He helped to establish the Jewish Men’s Association in 1935.

Julius Guggenheimer became known as a skilled photographer – portraits of Memmingen families and photos now in the Memmingen archives. He founded and headed a photographers association, open to all.

After the Pogromnacht of November 1938, Julius and Fritz Guggenheimer were imprisoned in Dachau. Julius was released first and managed, through his connections, to get Fritz released also. Both returned to Memmingen. In July 1939, Julius and Regina got permits to emigrate to the Netherlands; she went first; he followed a month later. In Amsterdam, they lived above his photo studio at Michelangelostraat 60. He specialized in portraits, advertising, and architecture.

Their adult children both fled to England and survived, but Julius and Regina were not allowed to leave the Netherlands. They were arrested, taken to Westerbork, and deported from there to Sobibor where they were murdered on 4 June 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."

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Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries & Anne Palmer
• Photos: TracesOfWar.com
• Stolpersteine Memmingen: Die Familie Julius und Regina Kornelie Guggenheimer
• Joods Monument
• Stolpersteine.eu