Week of Remembrance 2025: Cleaning stumbling blocks in Gronau
As part of this year's "Week of Remembrance", pupils from our school once again took part in the "Cleaning Stumbling Stones" campaign.
In preparation for the anniversary of the November pogroms from November 9 to 10, 1938, students in Years 9 and 10 cleaned the stumbling stones of the Weyl family in Pumpenstraße and the Lion family in Bahnhofstraße on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Using sponges, cloths and polish, the brass plates were carefully cleaned until the names, dates and places of deportation were clearly legible again. The result was a visible sign in the streetscape against forgetting and for a living culture of remembrance in the city.
The Stumbling Stones commemorate Jewish citizens of Gronau who were disenfranchised, persecuted, deported and murdered. Through their practical work at the actual site, the pupils involved set a clear example of respect, human dignity and civil courage - far beyond the classroom.
Encounter with Jewish life: Visit to the synagogue in Enschede
Another focus was on examining Jewish history, religious practice and local remembrance of the National Socialist era. Year 9 and 10 pupils visited the synagogue in Enschede, the Netherlands, on 13 November 2025.
In small groups, volunteer members of the Jewish community guided the pupils through the synagogue and explained the layout of the interior with its Torah shrine, Hebrew inscriptions and liturgical objects. A replica of the Torah scroll and Hebrew prayer books were used to illustrate the importance of the Torah and religious services in Judaism. At the same time, the history of the community, persecution under National Socialism and forms of anti-Semitism were discussed.
The visit helped to link the persecution of Jewish people under National Socialism with specific places, biographies and the history of the Jewish community in Enschede. Afterwards, the pupils used the remaining time in Enschede to deepen their impressions and reflect on what they had experienced in discussions with each other.
Christian minorities in the Middle East: Visit to the Syrian Orthodox Church in Gronau
The visit to the Syrian Orthodox Church in Gronau provided an additional perspective. On November 20, 2025, students in years 9 and 10 went there to learn about the situation of Christian minorities in the Middle East.
The visit was prepared and accompanied by student Hala from year 9, who herself belongs to the Syrian Orthodox community in Gronau. She guided the group through the church, explained the layout of the chancel and gave an insight into the service, symbols and the importance of the Aramaic language for the congregation. This made the religious practice, language and cultural traditions of a minority visible, which for some pupils had previously been rather abstract, but for others was part of their own family and everyday life.
In front of the entrance to the church, Hala made it clear at the "Sayfo 1915" memorial that the genocide of over 500,000 Arameans in the Ottoman Empire and the experiences of persecution, flight and new beginnings are still present in many family stories in the community today.
What "School without Racism - School with Courage" means to us
Projects such as cleaning the stumbling blocks in Gronau, visiting the synagogue in Enschede and visiting the Syrian Orthodox church show how pupils deal with history, religion and current forms of exclusion on site.
Our involvement in the "School without Racism - School with Courage" network makes this focus visible and provides a unifying framework: Remembrance of the victims of violence and persecution, encounters with Jewish life and with Christian minorities as well as the confrontation with anti-Semitism, racism and discrimination belong together. The aim is to take a closer look, ask questions and take responsibility - at school, in Gronau and beyond.