Outrage as East German town bans Holocaust ‘stumbling blocks’

Key Points:

• The town council of Heidenau in eastern Germany has banned the installation of new Holocaust memorial plaques known as 'Stolpersteine,' which mark the last known residences or workplaces of Nazi victims, sparking outrage.
• The ban was proposed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), who argued that people stepping on the plaques was disrespectful, and suggested relocating commemorations to the town cemetery instead.
• Critics, including the artist behind the Stolpersteine project and Holocaust survivors, argue that the plaques' presence in everyday public spaces is essential to keeping the memory of Nazi atrocities alive and fostering public reflection.
• The CDU's cooperation with the AfD on this motion has drawn criticism amid concerns about weakening the political 'firewall' that mainstream parties maintain against far-right influence in Germany.
• The International Auschwitz Committee condemned the decision as an attempt to marginalize the memory of Nazi victims, highlighting ongoing tensions over Holocaust remembrance and far-right politics in Germany.