Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala participated in a ceremony for the laying of Stolpersteine commemorating the Jewish victims of the Holocaust from families who resided in Brno’s Tugendhat, Arnold, and Low Beer villas, as well as other locations in the city.
The memorial stones, inscribed with the names of the victims along with their dates and places of birth and death, were placed in the pavements outside the villas.
Members of the Tugendhat, Hoze, and Low Beer families faced Nazi persecution due to their Jewish heritage. Some managed to emigrate to safety, while others perished in the Terezin ghetto, Majdanek concentration camp, or under unknown circumstances.
More than 20 individuals were commemorated with the Stolpersteine.
“Each of the stones represents a specific fate, a specific individual—someone who, due to the tragic events of the 20th century, was taken to a concentration camp, died under tragic circumstances, or managed to escape but lost contact with their homeland for a long time,” said Fiala.
He noted that these families significantly influenced the character of Brno but lost their homes due to the totalitarianism of the 20th century.
The unveiling of the stones was attended by many descendants and relatives of the three families.
The families lost all their property with the rise of Nazism and did not regain it after World War II. The three villas are currently open to the public and are among Brno’s main tourist attractions.
“For us as a family, these houses are not primarily cultural monuments but homes,” said Lukas Hammer, a descendant of the Tugendhat family. He recalled that the family had once felt unwelcome in Brno, a sentiment that has gradually changed in recent years. The Tugendhat Villa is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Hammer expressed appreciation for the Stolpersteine as a further expression of respect for their legacy, serving as a reminder of their tragic fate and the injustices they endured. He also warned against the rise of far-right ideologies and the resurgence of hatred in Europe.
More than 20 people are commemorated by the new Stolpersteine, including factory owner Alfred Low-Beer, who died in 1939 under unclear circumstances, likely while attempting to escape the country during the Nazi occupation. His body was discovered near railroad tracks in Stribro, western Bohemia.
Additionally, new stones were laid for Fritz and Grete Tugendhat, who commissioned the construction of the Tugendhat Villa. They managed to leave Czechoslovakia before the onset of Nazi repression and later died in Switzerland.
“It is certainly commendable that the city of Brno has not forgotten its native residents or those connected to Brno, and that those who were cruelly affected by the Holocaust, whether directly or indirectly, continue to remember the city,” said Jáchym Kanarek, chairman of the Jewish Community of Brno.
Chief Rabbi Karol Sidon and leaders from the city and the South Moravian Region also participated in the event.
The individual stones were unveiled, and flowers were laid by descendants of the three families.
