Stolperstein dedicated to Emma Herzogová

The Stolperstein dedicated to Emma Herzogová is a small brass-topped memorial stone set into the pavement on Orlí Street 7 in Brno. It marks the last freely chosen home of a woman deported and killed during the Holocaust, and its short inscription — name, dates, place of death — is the only physical trace of her left in the city.

Who was Emma Herzogová?

Emma Herzogová, born Teller, was born on 13 November 1884. She lived with her husband Leopold Herzog at Orlí 7 in Brno, the address recorded as her last residence before deportation. On 2 December 1941 she was deported from Brno on transport G-489 to the Terezín (Theresienstadt) ghetto. She died there on 15 July 1944.

Why is the stone placed exactly here?

Stolpersteine are always installed in front of the victim's last self-chosen home, and this one sits before the building on Orlí 7 where Emma Herzogová lived until her deportation. It was laid on 17 September 2014, as part of one of Brno's commemorative installations, during which eighteen such stones were placed across the city on a single day. The stone honouring Emma and her husband was sponsored by Boris Barak Selinger.

What is the connection to the stone right next to it?

A second stone lies immediately alongside it in the same stretch of pavement at Orlí 7 — dedicated to Leopold Herzog, Emma's husband. Leopold was born on 26 May 1876 in Nieder-Saulheim, Germany. Like his wife, he was deported from Brno on 2 December 1941, though on a separate transport, G-488, and died in Terezín on 12 March 1943. Both stones were installed on the same day, so the couple is commemorated together, on the exact spot where they once shared a home.

What exactly is a Stolperstein?

Stolpersteine ("stumbling stones") are a pan-European art project started by German artist Gunter Demnig. Small brass-topped cobblestones are embedded in pavements in front of buildings where victims of Nazism — Jews, Roma, political prisoners, and other persecuted groups — lived before they were deported, murdered, or driven into exile or suicide. Brno is one of several Czech cities where dozens of these stones can now be found, concentrated in the historic centre and the former Jewish quarter.

What should visitors know before coming?

The stone lies in the pavement on Orlí Street, one of the main streets of Brno's historic centre, close to Freedom Square (náměstí Svobody) and the junction with Masarykova Street — an area most visitors to the old town pass through anyway. No ticket, appointment, or advance planning is needed; the stone can simply be noticed underfoot while walking down the street. It is worth pausing to read the short inscription and to look at the neighbouring stone for Leopold Herzog.

Frequently asked questions

Were Emma Herzogová and Leopold Herzog related? Yes, they were husband and wife. They shared the same address and were deported on the same day, though on different transports.

What does the code "G-489" next to her name mean? It identifies the deportation transport from Brno to Terezín; each transport had its own letter code, and individuals were assigned a sequential number within it.

Can the stone be visited without booking anything in advance? Yes. The Stolperstein sits in an open public pavement and can be seen at any time, free of charge, with no need to register beforehand.

How many such stones are there in Brno? On 17 September 2014 alone, eighteen memorial stones were installed across Brno; the overall number in the city today is considerably higher, since commemorative installations have continued over the years.