Stolperstein dedicated to Wilhelm Bondi

The Stolperstein for Wilhelm Bondi is a small brass memorial plaque set into the pavement outside Třída Kpt. Jaroše 18 in Brno. It commemorates Wilhelm, known as Willi, Bondi, a resident of the building who lost his life under German occupation. The stone is one of roughly two hundred such markers scattered across Brno's streets, part of the Europe-wide "Stolpersteine" (stumbling stones) project.

Who was Wilhelm Bondi?

Wilhelm Bondi was born on 9 August 1897 in Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad), in the Cheb district. He was the son of Gustav Bondi and Marie Bondi, née Windner, and had three siblings – Hermine Wolfenstein, Julie Fleischer and Elisabeth Fleischer – as well as a son named after his grandfather, Gustav. By the time war broke out, he was living in Brno at what is now Třída Kpt. Jaroše 18.

Municipal records list Bondi among the victims of war and occupation between 1938 and 1945, describing him as a political prisoner persecuted by the occupying authorities. He died on 30 August 1941 at Auschwitz – a date the archive itself marks as uncertain, which is common for deportation victims whose final days are difficult to pin down precisely. A symbolic entry for Bondi also exists at Brno's Jewish Cemetery (section 19, row 7, grave 4, on Nezamyslova street), though, as with most camp victims, no actual burial took place there.

What are Brno's Stolpersteine?

Stolpersteine are the work of German artist Gunter Demnig, who launched the project in 1992. Each stone is a small brass plate set into the pavement in front of the last freely chosen home of a victim of Nazi persecution – Jews, Roma, political prisoners, and people targeted for their faith, orientation or disability. The plate carries the person's name, year of birth, and the date and place of death. The project now counts more than 90,000 stones across dozens of European countries, making it the largest decentralised memorial in the world.

Brno's first stones were laid in 2010, with further batches following – including the one dedicated to Wilhelm Bondi, unveiled on 29 October 2012. The city now holds around two hundred of them, each placed outside the building where a victim lived before deportation.

Where exactly is the stone, and how do you visit it?

The stone lies in the pavement outside Třída Kpt. Jaroše 18, in the Brno-střed district, a short walk from the city centre. Like all Stolpersteine, it is freely accessible at any time – there is no museum, fence or entry fee, since it is simply part of the street. It is easy to miss among the ordinary cobblestones, which is precisely the point of the project: passers-by "stumble" upon a piece of history with their eyes while going about their day.

A visit pairs well with a short walk to see other Stolpersteine nearby – the city centre alone holds a dozen or so, letting visitors piece together the stories of several Brno families affected by the occupation within a single afternoon.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee? No – the stone sits in open public space and can be viewed at any time, free of charge.

Are there other Stolpersteine close by? Yes, a dozen or so lie within Brno's city centre, and around two hundred across the whole city.

Who exactly was Wilhelm Bondi? A Brno resident born in 1897 in Mariánské Lázně, recorded as a victim of the German occupation, who died in 1941 at Auschwitz.

Why are the stones called "Stolpersteine"? It's German for "stumbling stones" – the name reflects the idea that passers-by pause, if only mentally, and are reminded of the victim who once lived at that spot.