Ceremonial opening of the 17th part of the “Path of Remembrance” through Leopoldstadt, 1st part on Sunday 04 June 2023.
Despite the bad weather forecast, the sky is kind to us and our umbrellas remain closed all afternoon.
About fifty relatives, participants and interested people meet at Rabbiner-Friedmann-Platz to inaugurate “Stones of Remembrance” at five stations.
The group Avanim opens with the song ‘Alle Brider’,
followed by the ‘Song of the Covenant’ and ‘Volt ich gehat kojech’.
District Head Alexander Nikolai speaks about the past and present history of Leopolstadt and Mrs Roswitha Hammer from the association ‘Stones of Remembrance’ translates for our English speaking guests.
Heinestraße 41:
This stone is for Elise “Lili” Schwarzmann and Ludwig Schwarzmann.
Lilli is one of the “forgotten persons”, nothing remains of her, the house burnt down, she herself was murdered and her few surviving descendants are scattered all over the world.
The initiator is Veronica Langer, the great-niece of Lili Schwarzmann, who has travelled from Mexico with her husband. Here they meet relatives from Barcelona, Rome and Vienna.
Blumauergasse 23:
We open a stone for Amalie and Richard Sorer, initiated by Eva Kommenda for her great-grand aunt and great-uncle.
Eva Kommenda from France commemorates them together with her brothers, Markus and Benedikt Kommenda, and her sister-in-law Brigitte Kommenda.
Mrs Kommenda talks about the transports to Theresienstadt and concludes with this wish: that history not repeat itself.
Schmelzgasse 12
We open stones for Helene, David and Ernst Geiger and Adolfine Hoffmann, initiated by the family member Thomas Herburger.
Herburger and Häfele families
Thomas Heuburger talks about how his mother and aunt could not talk about the Nazi era. Only the tireless research of his sister, who unfortunately died recently, made this memorial stone possible.
Negerlegasse 10:
We open a stone for Josefine, Johann, Alice, Erich and Gertrude Stern initiated by the great-grandson of Johann and Josefine, Nathan Stern, who travelled from Australia with his family, his wife Mrs. Angela Stern and his mother Joell Stern.
Nathan Stern speaks moving words on behalf of his family.
Novaragasse 17:
We open a stone for Gisela and Paul Tery, also initiated by Eva Kommenda for her great-grand aunt and great-uncle.
Eva Kommenda from France commemorates them together with her brothers, Markus and Benedikt Kommenda, and her sister-in-law Brigitte Kommenda.
