‘Stumble stones’ laid in Swiss city in tribute to victims of Nazism

Paving stones were laid in Biel/Bienne in tribute to the victims of Nazism. Keystone-SDA

Biel/Bienne now has its own memorial paving stones commemorating the victims of Nazism who lived in the Swiss city. The inauguration of the two sites on Thursday coincided with the 80th anniversary of the surrender of Nazi Germany.

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The brass paving stones, which are embedded in the pavement or in a public square, are placed in front of the last freely chosen homes of people persecuted by the Nazi regime, explained the regional group of the Stolperstein (“stumble stone”) association on Thursday.

+ Swiss make slow progress on Holocaust remembrance

Two memorial sites were inaugurated in Biel/Bienne, at the addresses where these people lived or were born: at number 40, Rue Charles Neuhaus, in memory of Clara Winograd-Pintschuk, and at the Place du Chemin du Mon-Désir, in memory of the Jewish family Sonabend: Laja, Simon, Sabine and Charles.

Some 80 people, including former Federal Councillor Ruth Dreifuss, attended the ceremony in memory of Clara Winograd-Pintschuk on Thursday.

Translated from French by DeepL/ts

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