Gera: Stolpersteine ​​tour on Tuesday – memories of forgotten fates!

Gera: Stolpersteine ​​tour on Tuesday – memories of forgotten fates!

In Gera, the coming days will be dedicated to remembering the city's Jewish history. From October 28th, those interested will have the opportunity to take part in a very special tour: The “Along the Stolpersteine” tour begins at 3 p.m. at the Jewish memorial on Student Street. The focus is on the living conditions of Jews in the 1930s and the fate of individual families, such as the Biermann family. This free event lasts one hour and offers a deep insight into the city's colorful past. In addition, otz.de reports on the ramifications that this story still has for the Gera community today.

But that's not all the city has to offer in the next few days. The exhibition “Thuringia – Land of Open Homelands” will open in the Gera Arcaden on October 28th. Dr. Frithjof Reinhardt will guide through the exhibition, which will be on view until November 5th. Visitors have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a conversation about the idea of ​​an “open homeland”, led by Dr. Annette Schneider-Reinhardt and Ayman Qasarwa moderated. The whole thing is done by Dr. Justus H. Ulbricht and promises to offer insightful perspectives.

Stumbling blocks: A great legacy of memory

The Stolpersteine ​​in Gera have now become an important part of the work of remembrance. On May 6, 2025, a total of 12 new stones were laid on Altenburger Straße and Steinweg to commemorate the Jewish families who were persecuted or murdered by the Nazis. Gunter Demnig, the initiator of the project, personally laid the hand-made mini-monuments that bear the life dates of the victims. With these new stones, there are now a total of 124 stumbling blocks in Gera, which remind us of the horrors of the past and make visible what remains unknown to many. These stumbling blocks, which are so valuable for the work of remembrance, bear the inscription “Here lived” and offer personal insights into painful fates in history in an often largely anonymous urban environment. gera.de emphasizes that the first stumbling block was laid in 2008.

The Stolpersteine ​​project has now gained importance not only in Germany, but also far beyond its borders. Since its introduction in 1992, over 116,000 stones have been laid worldwide, helping to keep the memory of the victims of National Socialism alive. They are a powerful symbol of remembrance and provide space for reflection on what was. These mini-monuments will be placed on the last homes of the victims and are part of the decentralized art project that points to the need to deal with the past - not only in Gera, but throughout Europe. iamexpat.de explains that it is important to recognize the individual story behind each stone and to create awareness of the fate of the victims.

Cultural highlights in the city

While Gera stands for the culture of remembrance, the cultural events should not be neglected either. On Wednesday, October 29th, at 6:30 p.m. there will be a lecture evening on domestic violence at Eisenbahnstrasse 7a. This is organized by the Free Evangelical Community in collaboration with the Gera women's shelter, with the Eierschatz association from Solms being invited as a guest. Here, anyone interested can find out about important topics of our time and actively participate in the conversation.

In addition, the cabaret “Fettnäppchen” provides entertainment under the Gera town hall. The ensemble presents “It Babbles in the Box” from October 29th to 31st. And the weekend brings with it another highlight: on November 1st at 8 p.m. the guest performance “Kesselalarm mit Herricht und Preil” will take place. Those interested in culture should not miss this opportunity!

All of these events show that Gera is a lively place of remembrance and culture that not only preserves the past, but also brings it into the present. A stroke of luck for the city and its citizens!