German city votes to end Stolpersteine Holocaust stones for Nazi victims

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 27, 2026

Heidenau’s city council voted to stop installing new Stolpersteine memorial plaques on public streets, proposing instead to place them in a dedicated cemetery site. This decision has sparked criticism from Holocaust remembrance groups, who argue it reduces the visibility of Nazi victims’ history and risks political marginalization.

The city council of Heidenau, Germany, has voted to halt the installation of new Stolpersteine—small memorial plaques commemorating victims of the Nazi regime—on public streets and sidewalks. The decision, made in a secret ballot on Thursday, passed with 13 members in favor, six opposed, and one abstention. The motion was jointly proposed by representatives from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), and the Oberelbe Alliance for More Democracy.

Stolpersteine, or “stumbling stones,” were created by German artist Gunter Demnig in the 1990s and have since become one of the largest decentralized Holocaust memorial projects worldwide. Typically embedded in pavements outside the former residences or workplaces of those persecuted or killed during the Nazi era, each brass plaque bears the name of the individual and details about their fate.

Under the new regulation, applications for new Stolpersteine in Heidenau’s public spaces will be denied. Instead, proponents of the measure advocate for concentrating Holocaust memorials at a dedicated site within the city’s Northern Cemetery, where the plaques would not be subjected to foot traffic.

The decision has elicited strong backlash from several organizations. The International Auschwitz Committee criticized the move as an attempt to marginalize Nazi victims from the city center, denouncing particularly the cooperation between the CDU and AfD parties on the issue. The March of the Living organization described the vote as a “grave warning sign,” emphasizing that Stolpersteine serve to confront pedestrians directly with the atrocities committed at those locations. They argued that blocking the stones’ installation sacrifices historical truth to political interests and called the decision “a grave injustice” that adds to the erasure of Holocaust victims. The group urged Heidenau to reconsider the ban.

Supporters of the proposal contend that many residents, descendants of victims, and memorial initiatives find the Stolpersteine no longer appropriate, partly due to concerns about the plaques being stepped on. The city administration, however, had recommended rejecting the proposal, stating that Holocaust commemoration should remain “visible and present in public space.”

Heidenau, a town near Dresden, currently has five Stolpersteine installed, with local activists seeking to expand the installation to honor more victims. A request to install additional stones was submitted to the municipality in February 2025, with organizers offering to cover all associated costs.

Heidenau is not alone in opposing Stolpersteine on public property. Munich also bans their placement, influenced by Charlotte Knobloch, president of the city’s Jewish community, who has argued that placing the names of Nazi victims where people walk over them is disrespectful.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.