Karin Prien, the Federal Minister of Education for the CDU, has sharply criticized the decision taken in the city of Heidenau regarding public spaces. According to the “Bild-Zeitung,” Prien called the ban on Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) in Heidenau a scandal, adding that attempting to shift remembrance culture to a cemetery was even more unacceptable.
The Heidenau City Council made the decision, based on a joint proposal from the CDU and the AfD, to no longer allow new stumbling stones in public streets and sidewalks. The council plans instead for commemoration to take place primarily at the city’s North Cemetery.
Prien strongly defended the stumbling stones as an essential part of German remembrance culture. She stated that the stones make annihilated Jewish life visible in public spaces and return a piece of dignity to every individual victim of persecution. Furthermore, she highlighted that these small commemorative stones made clear that Jews were naturally part of life in German towns and villages before they were persecuted and murdered by the National Socialists.
The Minister voiced particular criticism regarding the proposal to move these reminders to cemeteries. Prien argued that moving stumbling stones and memorial sites of Jewish life out of public view and onto graves prioritizes death over life, effectively rendering Jewish existence invisible once more.
In a broader context, she also addressed her own party, appealing to the CDU in Saxony. “In this responsibility, I see the CDU in Saxony as well. Because only those who know and understand their history can learn from it and ensure it is not repeated,” the Education Minister commented.
The proponents of Heidenau’s decision had argued that many citizens found the stones on the sidewalks inappropriate because passersby were walking over the names of the victims of the Nazi regime. Therefore, instead of installing additional stumbling stones, the city proposes setting up a central memorial area.
