Mortsel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Mortsel will place 31 stumbling stones across the city to honor residents deported during World War II, joining a broader memorial initiative in Belgium.
Gunter Demnig, a German artist, created the stumbling stones. He lays memorial stones on European pavements in remembrance of all the Nazism-related deaths.
“It is very important to continue to commemorate all those victims,”
Says Jasper Van Steenbergen, a family member of one of the victims.
The deportee’s home will have memorial stones buried in the pavement in front of it. In 1992, Demnig began the project in Germany, but he now lays memorial stones around Europe.
The city of Mortsel requested the stumbling stones in order to remember World War II.
As a result, the regional organization Zuidrand made the decision to lay stones in Mortsel as well. Thirty-one obstacles will be present. Antwerp, Mechelen, and other locations already have a lot of stumbling stones in Belgium
“After a survey of the neighbouring municipalities of Mortsel, it appears that many stories are still underexposed,”
Says Jules Jonckers of Streekvereniging Zuidrand.
“That is why we will soon also place stones in the other neighbouring municipalities.”
Frank Craeybeckx is one of the people who received a stumbling stone.
“He was mainly active in various resistance newspapers and provided false papers for people who had to go into hiding,”
Says Jasper Van Steenbergen. Craeybeckx was his grandmother’s brother.
“At one point he was arrested and taken to the Breendonk fort. Eventually he had to go to the camp in Mauthausen, where he died.”
The memorial is important to the entire family.
“Not just to remember him, but to remember everyone who died defending our democratic values.”
Zuidrand, a regional association, is working to map every victim in the area. They want to someday be able to put a roadblock in everyone’s path in this fashion.
Why is commemorating victims of Nazism still important today in Mortsel?
In order to remember those who suffered and lost their lives, to teach present and future generations about the Holocaust’s horrors, and to fight against racism, antisemitism, and other forms of hatred, it is still crucial to commemorate the victims of Nazism in Mortsel.
Such remembering strengthens the dedication to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law by serving as an essential reminder of the negative effects of bigotry and totalitarianism.
Mortsel contributes to a larger European culture of remembrance by erecting stumbling stones and keeping up public memorials.
This culture aims to guarantee “never again” and preserve the testimonies of victims and survivors, promoting awareness and alertness against the recurrence of similar crimes.
