List of Stolpersteine in Dresden

The Stolpersteine of Dresden form a city-wide network of brass memorial plaques set into the pavement, each one commemorating a single victim of Nazi persecution at the exact spot where that person last lived by their own choice. There is no single monument to visit here — instead, the memorial is scattered across ordinary streets, waiting to be noticed underfoot while exploring the city.

What exactly is a Stolperstein?

The project was conceived in 1992 by the Cologne-based artist Gunter Demnig. Each stone is a small concrete cube, roughly 10 by 10 centimetres, topped with a brass plate engraved with the victim's name, year of birth, and a brief note on their fate — deportation, death in a camp, escape into emigration, or suicide driven by persecution. The stones are set flush with the surrounding cobblestones or paving slabs, so a passer-by effectively "stumbles" over the memory with their eyes rather than their feet, pausing to read the inscription. Today it is the largest decentralized memorial in the world, with stones laid in thousands of towns across dozens of European countries, and their combined number has long passed one hundred thousand.

How did the project reach Dresden?

Public debate about bringing Stolpersteine to Dresden began in earnest in 2009. That same year, the association Stolpersteine für Dresden was founded, and after lengthy negotiations with the city, the first five stones were laid in November 2009. Since then the project has continued without interruption thanks to a sponsorship system: any private individual or institution can fund a stone, covering its production cost (around 120 euros) and often helping to research the biography of the person it commemorates.

How many stones are there in the city today?

The scale of the Dresden project has grown steadily over the years. As of 2025, the city counts 397 Stolpersteine plus one larger Stolperschwelle — a threshold-sized memorial slab dedicated to an entire group of victims from a single address. The most recent stones, including that Stolperschwelle, were laid in early May 2025, in a ceremony attended by Gunter Demnig himself.

Where can visitors find the stones while walking around Dresden?

Because each stone marks the exact former home of a specific victim, Dresden's Stolpersteine do not follow one designated sightseeing route — they are spread across many districts, from the historic city centre through the Äußere Neustadt to residential areas such as Strehlen. Discovering them becomes a natural part of an ordinary city walk: it pays to glance down while passing older apartment buildings, since small clusters or single stones turn up in almost every part of town.

How should visitors behave around the memorial stones?

Stolpersteine are a place of remembrance, not merely a curiosity for tourists — it is worth approaching them with quiet respect, avoiding unnecessary walking directly over the plaques, and not disturbing the surrounding area. Individual stones have occasionally been stolen or vandalised — one plaque dedicated to Margarete Schreiber was stolen and later relaid by the association — a reminder of how much the local community values their protection.

Frequently asked questions

Who invented the Stolpersteine? The German artist Gunter Demnig, who launched the project in 1992.

Since when have Stolpersteine existed in Dresden? The first five stones were laid in November 2009, following efforts by the Stolpersteine für Dresden association founded that same year.

How many stones are there in Dresden today? As of 2025, 397 Stolpersteine and one Stolperschwelle.

Is there a single route covering all the stones? No — the stones are scattered across the former addresses of victims throughout the city's districts, so visitors discover them gradually while walking around Dresden rather than following one marked trail.

Who pays for new stones? Private donors and sponsoring institutions, who cover the production cost of each stone and often help research the life story of the person it commemorates.