The student originally assigned to write the June 2nd blog post did not travel with the group, so I am stepping in with a quick post in his place.
Our main activities at the Feldbergschule today focused on the theme of human rights. First, CA students had the opportunity to join FBS students for a presentation by two representatives of the International Justice Mission, a global organization dedicated to protecting people in poverty from human trafficking, violence against women and children, and police abuse of power. Later, several CA students joined their exchange partners for a remembrance gathering connected to the Feldbergschule’s participation in the Stolpersteine project. A Stolperstein (stumbling stone) is a small brass plate embedded in a sidewalk or a street that commemorates an individual victim of the Holocaust at their last known address prior to their deportation. These stones are meant to “trip” everyday passers-by into an empathetic reflection on the life of the individual who once lived in that very street. There are currently over 70,000 Stolpersteine in cities and towns across Germany and another 25,000 across Europe, reflecting the continental scale of the Holocaust while at the same time bringing the tragic event much closer to home.
We were moved by our experiences today and reminded of the importance of civil courage in the fight against bigotry and inhumanity in all its forms.
All the best from Oberursel!
~Frau Greene