Büttgen student and faculty members honored with memorial accolade
Article Title: Kaarst Honours Jewish Physician Dr. Winfried Selbiger with Stolperstein
In a poignant ceremony held in the town of Kaarst, Germany, a Stolperstein, or "stumbling stone," was laid in memory of Dr. Winfried Selbiger, a Jewish physician who was persecuted by the Nazi regime. The Stolperstein, laid by artist Gunter Demnig and students, serves as a powerful reminder of Dr. Selbiger's life and the tragic fate he suffered under National Socialism.
Dr. Selbiger, who practiced medicine at the Rathausplatz in Büttgen until his arrest by the Nazis, was first placed in protective custody (Schutzhaft) and subsequently banned from practicing medicine. Faced with increasing persecution, he was forced to emigrate.
The initiative to lay a Stolperstein for Dr. Selbiger came from a project course at a local school, led by teachers Nadine Graber and Carl-Wilhelm Bienefeld. The project, which focused on Jewish History in Germany, asked for a piece of forgiveness and aimed to work through the consequences of anti-Semitism over centuries.
Mayor Baum, in his speech during the ceremony, emphasized the significance of the Stolperstein, stating, "With the awarding of this honor, we in Kaarst are setting a sign for remembrance and are clearly stating: Never again!" Bienefeld, too, reinforced this sentiment, saying, "Never again is today."
The city council unanimously decided to honour the project on October 14, 2022, and the document for the comprehensive school's new building was received by teachers Graber and Bienefeld. The project was supported by Kaarst city archivist Sven Woelke, historian Reinhold Mohr, and former mayor Dr. Ulrike Nienhaus.
Mohr's research and work on Dr. Selbiger's life revealed the inhuman actions of the Nazis, which brought suffering and persecution to Büttgen, the place of the school. He expressed gratitude for the recognition given to Dr. Selbiger, stating that it was a testament to the town's commitment to remembering its past and standing against hatred and discrimination.
On Holocaust Remembrance Day, numerous citizens gathered at Dr. Selbiger's Stolperstein to remember him and call for a resolute stance against antisemitism and racism. Ulrike Bruckner, deputy chairwoman of the SPD local association in Kaarst, emphasized this in her speech, urging continued vigilance against hatred and discrimination.
The Stolperstein in Kaarst not only preserves the memory of a victim of Nazi oppression but also acts as a powerful symbol of hope and resilience, serving as a reminder of the importance of standing against hatred and discrimination in the present and future.
- The project, focused on Jewish History in Germany, initiated by teachers Nadine Graber and Carl-Wilhelm Bienefeld, expanded into areas of other education-and-self-development, aiming to promote personal-growth and understanding about the impacts of antisemitism and discrimination on general-news history.
- As opposed to the hate and persecution under politics during the Nazi era, the modern-day city of Kaarst stands as a beacon, demonstrating commitment to remembrance, forgiveness, and prevention of such atrocities in personal-growth, education-and-self-development, and general-news contexts.
