Never again is now

In late 2025, Deutsche Post issued a stamp about 'stumbling stones' featuring the text: Nie wieder ist jetzt (Never again is now). And: Ein Stein; Ein Name; Ein Mensch (a stone; a name; a person). This will be a poignant story. Stumbling stones (in German: Stolpersteine) 'Stolpersteine' is a project by the German artist Gunter Demnig. These memorial stones are placed at the homes of people who were deported and murdered by the Nazis during the Second World War. This usually concerned Jews, but also, for example, Sinti and Roma. The Stolpersteine ​​are made of concrete with a brass plate (10 x 10 cm) on top, in which the name, date of birth, date of deportation, place, and date of death of the person being commemorated are inscribed. Of course, you don't actually stumble over these stones, but you stumble, as it were, with your head and/or your heart. Anne Frank After her flight from Germany, Anne Frank lived at Merwedeplein 37 in Amsterdam from 1933 until her 'going into hiding behind the bookcase' in 1942. Their hiding place was betrayed and they were arrested. Stolpersteine ​​(stumbling stones) were laid at Merwedeplein in 2015 for her and her family members. The following texts appear on the four Stolpersteine ​​of the Frank family: * OTTO FRANK born 1889, went into hiding 6-7-1942, arrested 4-8-1944, deported from Westerbork, Auschwitz, survived) * EDITH FRANK-HOLLÄNDER born 1900, went into hiding 6-7-1942, arrested 4-8-1944, deported from Westerbork, murdered 6-1-1945, Auschwitz) * MARGOT FRANK born 1926, went into hiding 6-7-1942, arrested 4-8-1944, deported from Westerbork, Auschwitz, murdered March 1945, Bergen-Belsen) * ANNE FRANK born 1929, went into hiding 6-7-1942, arrested 4-8-1944, deported from Westerbork, Auschwitz, murdered March 1945, Bergen-Belsen) Anne's stumbling stone states that she was murdered. Other sources report that she presumably died of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Father Frank survived Auschwitz; mother Edith was murdered in Auschwitz and their two children Margot and Anne died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. When you read this about the Frank family, does it 'stumble' in your head or heart? It does for me. Below are stamps of Anne, transit camp Westerbork, and extermination camp Auschwitz. [one_half]

                [/one_half] [one_half_last]

          [/ One_half_last]  

Leiden and Henny Feniger I was personally involved in the placement of a Stolperstein in Leiden for Henny Feniger. She lived in the Jewish orphanage in Leiden and was in the same class as my mother-in-law at the time. In 1943, the orphans were deported. Last year, a Stolperstein was placed for Henny at this Jewish orphanage. Because she had no family left and my mother-in-law was the only one who had known her, my mother-in-law was going to place this stone. Unfortunately, my mother-in-law passed away two weeks before the stone was to be placed. My wife and her sister then took over, and I gave a short speech. I ended my speech with the following words: “It is good that a memorial stone for the murdered Henny Feniger has been placed here today, because through that, dear Henny, we will never forget you.”

            [/one_half] [one_half_last]

              [/ One_half_last]       I am not in favor of including a block of ten identical stamps in a blog post. That usually adds no value. However, I am making an exception for this special stamp. I hope that more postal institutions will start issuing stamps commemorating the Stolpersteine, because it is good to continue remembering this! Never again is now!!!