Gelnhausen and Stumbling Blocks

We returned to Gelnhausen today with the Feinauers.  When we last visited here (during the winter months) the castle was closed and we wanted to return to see it.  We parked in the same place outside the wall around the castle complex by this old magical door.  I remember noticing and taking a photo of it last time.  What we did not notice last time, were the Stolpersteine, or stumbling blocks on the ground in front of this gate.

Usually you see one or maybe two brass stones together.  Sometimes you see a whole group, like these.  These stumbling blocks represent actual people who lived in this actual place before they were taken from their homes.  Most were murdered during the Holocaust.  These memorials are scattered through towns all over Europe and are a reminder to us that good people were killed and lives were lost because of evil people.  We must never forget what happened.

Siegfried and Selma Weis were right next to the row of their neighbors.

It literally stops you dead in your tracks, when you see these memorial.   You feel compelled to bed and read their names and what happened to them.  You REMEMBER them, even if you didn’t know them in this life.

Here is another family we found this morning, in front of this beautiful home:

Here are a few others we saw today in Gelnhausen:

I am grateful for these subtle reminders that cause us to pause and give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Below is a photo of an old window in stone by the Gelnhausen city wall.  I always think of eyelashes when I see stones set like these.

This is the other side of the remains of that ancient wall.  Notice the blue half-timber home behind it.

Look how the builders compensated for the uneven ground as they straightened the home!