Memorial plaque for the Stern family: memory of brave Berliners

Memorial plaque for the Stern family: memory of brave Berliners

On September 3, 2025, a memorial plaque for the Lisbeth and Georg Stern family will be unveiled in Berlin. The ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. at Ehrlichstrasse 33, on the corner of Lehndorffstrasse. District mayor Martin Schaefer (CDU) will open the plaque, which commemorates the family's former home at Auguste-Viktoria-Straße 47, where they lived from 1922 to 1931/32. This memorial plaque is an important symbol of the memory of the Jewish victims of National Socialism and reflects the drama of their life stories.

Georg Stern (1867-1943) was a prominent scientist, inventor, business leader, publicist and composer. His life was closely linked to his wife Lisbeth Stern (1870-1938), with whom he had four daughters: Regula, Johanna, Katharina and Maria. Max Wertheimer, a well-known psychologist and founder of Gestalt theory, also lived in the same house, further reinforcing the social and cultural significance of this place. But the rise of the National Socialists to power led to drastic changes in the life of the Stern family.

The drama of expulsion

The National Socialists led to significant restrictions on the family's life. Johanna and Maria were able to emigrate to the USA while the other daughters suffered under various conditions. Unfortunately, Katharina failed in her attempt to escape. Regula, who was classified as “half-Jewish,” was no longer allowed to work as a doctor from 1938 onwards. Lisbeth, who moved to Nordhausen with her sister Käthe Kollwitz in 1943 to escape the bombing, experienced a dramatic change in her life.

Georg Stern died in 1934, while Lisbeth's sister, the artist Käthe Kollwitz, was buried in the family grave at the Friedrichsfelde Central Cemetery at Lisbeth's suggestion. These family connections and the loss meant that the legacy of Georg and Lisbeth Stern is anchored in Berlin's culture of remembrance.

Culture of remembrance in Berlin

In Berlin, remembrance efforts are continually supported with various memorial sites and initiatives. Examining and appreciating personal stories like that of the Stern family contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the many facets of the Holocaust and the impact of National Socialism on people's lives. In this context, both the memorial plaque for the Stern family and the city's commitment to remembrance and reappraisal are of great importance.

There are also numerous memorials nationwide that commemorate the victims of National Socialism. For example, these places of remembrance in Austria include some important sites, including the memorial for Roma and Sinti in Lackenbach and the memorial for the victims of the Nazi justice system in Klagenfurt. These places are part of a larger narrative about remembering and coming to terms with one's own history, which plays an important role in both Germany and Austria.

The planned memorial plaque for the Stern family in Berlin is therefore not only an act of remembrance, but also an appeal to learn the lessons from history and fight against forgetting. These initiatives are part of a broader discussion about the role of the culture of remembrance in society and how to deal with the past.

For further information on memorial work and the importance of remembering the Nazi victims, you can visit the platforms of berlin.de, Wikipedia and political-education.de be resorted to.