Every time I’m in Germany, I’m struck by the sheer number of Stolpersteine or “stumbling stones” I come across. These mini memorials throughout Germany are placed outside the last known residence of Holocaust victims.

75,000 plaques have been installed in sidewalks so far. These are real people, each with a story to be remembered. Not just vague numbers.

Each marker contains basic information: the victim’s name, birth year, and often details about the concentration camp where they were deported, as well as the date of their murder.

This is one way Germany’s dark past continues to play a role in the country’s future. Societally, they are very intentional about understanding the atrocities of the Nazi era and ensuring that history is never repeated.

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