Commemoration in Cologne: SC Janus lays stumbling blocks for Holocaust victims

Commemoration in Cologne: SC Janus lays stumbling blocks for Holocaust victims

A very special event took place in Cologne's southern city. Terry Mandel, a 71-year-old woman from Berkeley, California, who considers Cologne her second home, was a guest to commemorate the laying of Stolpersteine. This memorial plaque commemorates the Jewish Wolf family, who were deported during National Socialism. The Wolf family, which also included Martha and Artur Wolf and their son Fritz, once lived in the city and were deported to the Kulmhof extermination camp in 1941. Artur Wolf was murdered in the Litzmannstadt ghetto, while Martha and Fritz also lost their lives three months later.

Terry Mandel, whose mother Ingelore Silberbach was related to the Wolf family, has been deeply connected to Cologne since her first trip in October 2022. She lived in the city during this time and even bought a bike to explore the Cologne area. Today she has built up a circle of friends in Cologne and is a member of the Jewish carnivalists “Kölsche Kippa-Köpp”. Her commitment even went so far that she founded “The Unerasure Project” in 2023, which campaigns against exclusion and hatred and preserves the history of her family.

Stumbling blocks as part of the culture of remembrance

The Stolpersteine, which have been laid by the artist Gunter Demnig since the 1990s, are a very special memorial. More than 2,400 of these small memorial plaques have already been laid in Cologne, installed in places where people lived before they fled or were arrested by the Nazi regime. This initiative is known far beyond the city limits and has had a lasting impact on the memorial landscape in Germany. In the southern part of the city, the new stumbling blocks were musically accompanied by Fabienne Carlier on the accordion, which gave the ceremony a special touch.

“We must not forget history,” emphasized Terry Mandel during her speech. These words apply not only to the Wolf family, but also to all victims of National Socialism - including Jews, Sinti and Roma, those who were politically persecuted, homosexuals and many more who suffered during this dark time.

Commitment against discrimination

The queer sports club SC Janus has taken over the sponsorship of these stumbling blocks. The club is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year and offers around 45 sports. With his initiative he is sending a message against exclusion and persecution. Gregor Timmer, head of the sports department, congratulated the club for its commitment and noted how important such actions are for society. This shows that you are actively against discrimination and hate speech.

Another milestone will be reached on July 1, 2025 in Cologne: A German branch of the “Unerasure Project” will be founded there in order to set an example for remembering in Germany. Terry Mandel is optimistic and hopes that her story, as well as that of her family and other victims, will continue to be heard.

In summary: The laying of the Stolperstein in Cologne once again illustrates how important it is to deal with one's own history and learn from it. The memorial plaques not only represent the past, but also the responsibility we bear for the future.

For further information about the Stolpersteine ​​in Cologne and their background, detailed information is available on the City of Cologne website and on Gunter Demnig's project, which aims to keep the memory of the victims alive. You can find out more about this here: City of Cologne and Deutschlandfunk.