Throughout the Jewish quarter of berlin there are brass squares outside certain buildings built into the sidewalks. They have engravings of the names of Jewish families that used to live there... Christopher told us that they're there to be purposefully tripped over as a reminder of what happened to the Jewish population here in the past.
I love these bricks.
I hate these bricks.
I love that someone is taking initiative to put this reminder in front of every single individual.
I hate that there are so many - and not enough.
It's all very confusing.
They make me incredibly uneasy. I have to read each one I pass. I'm constantly looking down.
After a bit of googling, I found this interesting article on NPR about the stumbling stones. Here's the link if you feel like reading it:
http://www.npr.org/2012/05/31/153943491/stumbling-upon-miniature-memorials-to-nazi-victims
"I think the large Holocaust memorial here [in Berlin] will always remain abstract. You have to make the decision to visit it," Demnig says. "But not with the stumbling blocks. Suddenly they are there, right outside your front door, at your feet, in front of you."
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