Gunter Demnig (born 27 October 1947 in Berlin) is a German artist. He is best known for his Stolperstein ("stumbling block") memorials to the victims of Nazi persecution, including Jews, homosexuals, Romani and the disabled. The project places engraved brass stones in front of a former residence for a Holocaust victim who was deported and murdered by Nazi Germany. The memorial effort began in Germany and has since spread, with more than 100,000 stones placed across 26 countries in Europe. [1] [2]
Gunter Demnig grew up in Nauen and Berlin and completed high school acquiring his abitur in 1967. Later that year, he began studying creative education at Berlin University of the Arts with Professor Herbert Kaufmann. From 1969 to 1970, he studied industrial design there. In 1971, he transferred to the Kunsthochschule Kassel , resuming his study of creative education and passed the first state examination in 1974.
That same year, he began studying art with Harry Kramer at the University of Kassel. Following that, he spent two years planning, building and managing historical monuments, from 1977 to 1979. From 1980 to 1985, Demnig was an artistic-scientific colleague on the art faculty at the University of Kassel.
In 1985, he opened his own studio in Cologne and worked on numerous local projects. Since 1994, he has also been involved with the IGNIS-Kulturzentrum (IGNIS Cultural Center).
Demnig's best known work is what he calls Stolpersteine. Stolperstein (in the singular) is the German word for "stumbling block". Demnig's Stolpersteine are small, cobblestone-sized brass memorials for the victims of National Socialism. Set into the pavement of sidewalks in front of the buildings where Nazi victims once lived or worked, they call attention both to the individual victim and the scope of the Nazi war crimes. By 2017, about 61,000 Stolpersteine had been laid in 21 countries in Europe, [3] making the project the world's largest memorial.
A Stolperstein is a ten-centimetre (3.9 in) concrete cube bearing a brass plate inscribed with the name and life dates of victims of Nazi extermination or persecution. Literally, it means 'stumbling stone' and metaphorically 'stumbling block'.
The Stolpersteine in the district of Braunau am Inn are small, cobble stone-sized memorials to the former residents of the district who perished at the hands of the Nazis during the Third Reich. Conceived and installed by Cologne artist Gunter Demnig, they were set in the pavement at various locations between August 11–12, 2006.
The Stolpersteine in the Královéhradecký kraj lists the Stolpersteine in the region Královéhradecký kraj in the north-east of Bohemia. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in Prague-Malá Strana lists the Stolpersteine in the town quarter Malá Strana of Prague. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in the Kraj Vysočina lists the Stolpersteine in the Vysočina Region in the south-east of Bohemia. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in Prague-Libeň lists the Stolpersteine in the Cadastral area and district Libeň of Prague. The district has been split off. Since 2002 it belongs mainly to Praha 8, but parts of it are now in Praha 7 and Praha 9. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in Prague-Nusle lists the Stolpersteine in the district Nusle of Prague. The district has been split off. Since 2002 it belongs mainly to Praha 4, but parts of it are now in Praha 2. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in Ratenice lists the Stolpersteine in Ratenice in the Central Bohemian Region, the central part of Bohemia. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in the Pardubický lists the Stolpersteine in the Pardubice Region in the east of Bohemia. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in Prague-Smíchov lists the Stolpersteine in the district Smíchov of Prague. Since 2002, the district belongs to Praha 5. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in Prague-Michle lists the Stolpersteine in cadastral area Michle of Prague. Since 2002, the district belongs to Praha 4. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in Prague-Podolí lists the Stolpersteine in the district Podolí of Prague. Since 2002, the district belongs to Praha 4. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in Lomnice u Tišnova lists the Stolpersteine in the town Lomnice in the South Moravian Region. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in Mikulov, Slavkov u Brna and Znojmo lists the Stolpersteine in three towns of the South Moravian Region. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in Milovice lists the Stolpersteine in the town of Milovice in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
The Stolpersteine in Mladá Boleslav lists the Stolpersteine in the town of Mladá Boleslav in the Central Bohemian Region (Czech: Středočeský kraj. Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the Nazi victims being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide.
Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They memorialize the fate of the victims of Nazi Germany being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide. The Stolpersteine in Neratovice, a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the present-day Czech Republic, were collocated in 2010.
Stolpersteine is the German name for stumbling blocks collocated all over Europe by German artist Gunter Demnig. They remember the fate of the victims of Nazi Germany being murdered, deported, exiled or driven to suicide. The first Stolpersteine of the Trnavský kraj, the Trnava Region of present-day Slovakia, were collocated in August 2016.
The first Stolperstein of London is dedicated to Ada van Dantzig, a Dutch restorer of paintings. Stolpersteine are created by German artist Gunter Demnig. They commemorate the fate of people who were murdered, deported, expelled or driven to suicide by the German Nazis. Stolpersteine can be found in thirty European countries. They are usually located in front of the victim's last self-chosen place of residence.