Archive · 25 Sep 2026
East German Town Bans Future Holocaust Memorial Plaques
A town in eastern Germany voted against placing any more small memorial plaques in its streets.
These plaques remember people persecuted by the Nazis.
The town plans to put future remembrance at one memorial site instead.
The motion was supported by the Alternative for Germany and the Christian Democratic Union.
Some supporters said the plaques are inappropriate because they are set into the ground and can be stepped on.
A Jewish community leader criticized the decision.
She said a democratic party should not support what she called an extremist maneuver.
The city administration had recommended against a complete ban.
The decision has started a wider discussion about whether mainstream parties should cooperate with the AfD.
Heidenau’s council approved a motion rejecting future Stolpersteine commemorating victims of Nazi persecution.
The motion was introduced by the Alternative for Germany and supported by the Christian Democratic Union.
Future commemorations will instead be concentrated at a memorial site in Heidenau’s northern cemetery.
Critics said the decision challenges Germany’s informal firewall against cooperation with the AfD.
Supporters argued that some residents consider the ground-embedded plaques inappropriate because people can walk on them.
- Who
- The Heidenau town council, with support from the Alternative for Germany and the Christian Democratic Union, made the decision; critics included Charlotte Knobloch.
- What
- The council approved a motion rejecting future Stolpersteine and directing future commemorations to a central memorial site.
- When
- The decision was made on Thursday, September 25.
- Where
- Heidenau, near Dresden in Saxony, eastern Germany.
- Why
- Supporters said the plaques can be walked on and are inappropriate; the city administration argued that a blanket ban was unnecessary and unjustified.
Critics of the Ban
Supporters of the Ban
Whether future plaques should be allowed
Critics of the Ban
Critics said the ban is unnecessary and undermines public remembrance of Nazi persecution. The city administration recommended against a blanket ban.
Supporters of the Ban
Supporters argued that commemorations should be concentrated at a central memorial and that the plaques are inappropriate because they are embedded in the ground and can be walked on.
AfD-CDU cooperation
Critics of the Ban
Critics said the CDU’s support was a maneuver by an extremist party and raised concerns about breaking Germany’s informal firewall against cooperation with the AfD.
Supporters of the Ban
The local AfD and CDU supported the motion, although neither immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.
- Town
- Heidenau, near Dresden in Saxony
- Decision
- Future Stolpersteine will not be installed
- Alternative memorial
- A memorial site at the town’s northern cemetery
- Political supporters
- The Alternative for Germany and the Christian Democratic Union
- Memorials affected
- Brass, cobblestone-shaped plaques commemorating victims of Nazi persecution
- Administrative recommendation
- The city administration opposed a blanket ban
- Broader debate
- The decision raised questions about the Christian Democratic Union’s informal firewall against the Alternative for Germany