Hi everybody!
On Saturday we had ideal weather for taking a long walk - not too hot and not too cold, just perfect. I went down to the Rhine, along the towpath and past the castle, and then through our little town, with its quaint old houses and alleyways.
In front of one of the old houses, a few steps from the river, are some little brass plaques let into the pavement. They are called 'Stolpersteine' - Stumbling Stones, and are the idea of a German artist, Gunter Demnig, to show where people who got deported and murdered by the Nazis, used to live. The Nazis took away even the identities of the people by just giving them numbers. This art project is to give back the names and places where they lived to these victims. The stones can be found in many towns in Germany, and are funded by donations. They serve as a constant warning neither to forget the awful things that happened, nor the people who lost everything, even their names.
On Saturday we had ideal weather for taking a long walk - not too hot and not too cold, just perfect. I went down to the Rhine, along the towpath and past the castle, and then through our little town, with its quaint old houses and alleyways.
In front of one of the old houses, a few steps from the river, are some little brass plaques let into the pavement. They are called 'Stolpersteine' - Stumbling Stones, and are the idea of a German artist, Gunter Demnig, to show where people who got deported and murdered by the Nazis, used to live. The Nazis took away even the identities of the people by just giving them numbers. This art project is to give back the names and places where they lived to these victims. The stones can be found in many towns in Germany, and are funded by donations. They serve as a constant warning neither to forget the awful things that happened, nor the people who lost everything, even their names.
The oldest thing in Kaiserswerth is a standing stone, or monolith dating back to prehistoric times. Every time I pass it I wonder what this stone could tell us if it could talk. I can see a face on the right-hand side, can you?
Kaiserswerth itself is celebrating its 1300th birthday this year, and is well worth a visit. After strolling through the little town, I walked through the fields, and a little wood, and back home along the stream, and saw a lot of beautiful wild flowers, rusty old gates, a sign telling me I was in a frog protection area, birds and a stray cat that hissed and swore at me. I have put the pictures together into a little video. Please watch, and enjoy part of Mozart's Horn Concerto in E-flat major.
I am linking to Ayala's 'show me yours' link-up, to share the places where we live.
Have a great day, take care, and thanks a lot for coming by!