In Weilheim, the victims of National Socialism should be remembered permanently, there is broad consensus in the town hall.
But what is the right shape?
A plaque at the city museum?
Or "stumbling blocks" in the pavement?
Opinions differ - and emotions are high.
CSU / FDP parliamentary group recently submitted a new application.
The debate became increasingly moot.
Decision was postponed.
Weilheim
- it was a muddled debate last week in the main committee of the city council - and ultimately only the spontaneous "proposal for the rules of procedure" by Green spokesman Manuel Neulinger prevented a delicate, if not embarrassing situation.
But more on that later.
First of all, you have to say that the city was actually more advanced on this issue.
At the beginning of February, the main committee unanimously agreed to put up “stumbling blocks” in prominent places in memory of the Jewish families of Weilheim who fled and murdered by the National Socialists (we reported) - and explicitly also other victims of the Nazi regime, such as Sinti, Roma and Euthanasia victims.
Such “stumbling blocks”, developed by the artist Gunter Demnig, already exist in almost 1,300 German municipalities and in 24 European countries.
For Weilheim, the city council should have decided on this application in February, which had been made by the Green representative Eckart Stüber, who had since resigned and which the SPD / FDP parliamentary group at the time had expanded.
But because they wanted to involve the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde (IKG) Munich and Upper Bavaria in the decision, the topic was removed from their agenda.
Since then, no one has heard from it.
"Memorial plaque at eye level"
The current CSU / FDP parliamentary group submitted a further application two weeks ago - which was now discussed in the October meeting of the main committee - without a decision on the aforementioned application.
“Instead of stumbling blocks”, according to the CSU, a “memorial plaque at eye level” should be erected, “preferably at the city museum or on the city wall in the 'Garden of Friendship'”.
Because Charlotte Knobloch, the president of the IKG Munich, had spoken out against “stumbling blocks” in her letter to the city - by the way on February 11th -: In her opinion, these were “hardly a tribute to the victims” because of their positioning in the sidewalk pavement to understand ".
"We should have respect for the opinion of the survivors," said CSU spokeswoman Marion Lunz-Schmieder in the most recent main committee meeting.
Similar to Tillman Wahlefeld: "I have difficulties disregarding the opinion of this very outstanding person," said the BfW representative with a view to Knobloch's statement.
Petra Arneth-Mangano (SPD), whose parliamentary group had already called for such stones for Weilheim in 2006, emphasized that there are also many supporters of the “stumbling blocks” in the Jewish communities.
According to Arneth, the city council should visit the synagogue in Munich or Augsburg and “speak to those affected” directly.
Everyone agreed on the goal
Karl-Heinz Grehl (Green Party) defended the “Stolpersteine” as a “brilliant idea” - whereas today, memorial plaques would often hardly attract any attention.
And ÖDP representative Andreas Halas said: “We stumble over stumbling blocks in this round.
That shows what a great effect these stumbling blocks have. ”This form of remembrance culture is also immediately accessible to young people.
The main committee almost actually stumbled, even if everyone agreed on the goal of a worthy commemoration.
Because only the CSU proposal was up for voting at this meeting, but it clearly rules out “stumbling blocks” and is therefore not eligible for approval for a large part of the committee.
But a “no” to that, it was clear to everyone, would be a fatal external sign.
Neulinger's motion for the rules of procedure finally showed a way out: The decision on the CSU initiative should be postponed and the matter should be dealt with “completely” in one of the next city council meetings, i.e. including the already existing “stumbling block” motion.
The committee approved this - with the exception of Lunz-Schmieder and Stefan Zirngibl (CSU).
