Jewish memorial
"In memory of the Jews of Wolfenbüttel who lived in the city during the National Socialist era, who died here, who fled, who committed suicide, who were murdered or perished in concentration camps."
This is the inscription in the Star of David of the "Jewish memorial", which is also engraved with numerous names of persecuted Jews. Rusty steel elements seem to pierce the Star of David, jutting upwards in a criss-cross pattern, filled with stones. The sight of them is reminiscent of the hard forced labor in the steelworks and can also be read as a symbol of the deportations in railroad wagons.
A location near Bahnhofstraße was chosen for the memorial, which was created by young people from the "Rundum Kunst" art school. Among the many stumbling blocks in this street is that of Pauline Cohn. In March 1943, the widow was suffering from agonizing worry about one of her four children, her son Max. A few days later, Pauline Cohn was also deported to Theresienstadt and met Max there again.
The book "Jüdische Familien in Wolfenbüttel - Spuren und Schicksale" by Jürgen Kumlehn contains long accounts by the surviving Max Cohn. Looking back, he remembers: "The Wolfenbüttelers arrived on one of the last normal mass transports in March 1943. [...] Mother was initially badly housed in a large, draughty attic. [...] You have to imagine it properly. Several hundred people on each floor. Always dying people among them. [...]"
Max was able to successfully campaign for improved accommodation and mother and son spent a whole year together in Theresienstadt. Pauline Cohn died in Max's arms in April 1944.
For those who remained behind, the living situation in Theresienstadt continued to deteriorate. After the end of the war, Max wrote: "Once I was almost glad that Mother and the others [from Wolfenbüttel] were no longer alive when the transports of the elderly started again in May 1944."
Mrs. Grünberg and Mrs. Oschitzky, who were still alive at the time, left with them.
"In memory of the Jews of Wolfenbüttel who lived in the city during the National Socialist era, who died here, who fled, who committed suicide, who were murdered or perished in concentration camps."
This is the inscription in the Star of David of the "Jewish memorial", which is also engraved with numerous names of persecuted Jews. Rusty steel elements seem to pierce the Star of David, jutting upwards in a criss-cross pattern, filled with stones. The sight of them is reminiscent of the hard forced labor in the steelworks and can also be read as a symbol of the deportations in railroad wagons.
A location near Bahnhofstraße was chosen for the memorial, which was created by young people from the "Rundum Kunst" art school. Among the many stumbling blocks in this street is that of Pauline Cohn. In March 1943, the widow was suffering from agonizing worry about one of her four children, her son Max. A few days later, Pauline Cohn was also deported to Theresienstadt and met Max there again.
The book "Jüdische Familien in Wolfenbüttel - Spuren und Schicksale" by Jürgen Kumlehn contains long accounts by the surviving Max Cohn. Looking back, he remembers: "The Wolfenbüttelers arrived on one of the last normal mass transports in March 1943. [...] Mother was initially badly housed in a large, draughty attic. [...] You have to imagine it properly. Several hundred people on each floor. Always dying people among them. [...]"
Max was able to successfully campaign for improved accommodation and mother and son spent a whole year together in Theresienstadt. Pauline Cohn died in Max's arms in April 1944.
For those who remained behind, the living situation in Theresienstadt continued to deteriorate. After the end of the war, Max wrote: "Once I was almost glad that Mother and the others [from Wolfenbüttel] were no longer alive when the transports of the elderly started again in May 1944."
Mrs. Grünberg and Mrs. Oschitzky, who were still alive at the time, left with them.
Good to know
Eligibility
for individual guests
Pet allowed
for Children of the age of 10 upwards
Payment Options
free of charge
Contact person
Stadt Wolfenbüttel / Abteilung 412
Ms. Lena Simon
Löwentor, Löwenstraße 1
38300 Wolfenbüttel
Author
Lessingstadt Wolfenbüttel
Stadtmarkt 3-6
38300 Wolfenbüttel
Organization
Lessingstadt Wolfenbüttel
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