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Editor:
Presscouncil City of Chemnitz
Pressrelease: 360

Descendant comes to Chemnitz and visits stumbling blocks

Press event on 5 June, 11 a.m. and 12.15 p.m.: Meeting with two school classes

On Monday, 5 June, Mike Sigler from England will visit Chemnitz and dedicate himself to his family history. Stumbling stones have been laid for several members of his family in Chemnitz in recent years, as they were deported or had to flee during the National Socialist regime.

Mike Sigler will meet with two school classes and talk to the young people about this. Representatives of the media are also invited:

  • At 11 a.m. , he will visit a year 10 class at Karl-Schmidt-Rottluff-Gymnasium. Mike Sigler's father Rolf once went to the state grammar school, which was located in the building at Hohe Straße 25. The conversation with the pupils will be held in English.
  • 12.15 pm Mike Sigler will meet pupils from the Montessori School at the Sigler family's Stumbling Stones on Gerhart-Hauptmann-Platz 2.

Five Stolpersteine were laid for the Sigler family in 2015, 2021 and 2022:

  • On 6 May 2021 for Arthur Aron Sigler and Hedwig Sigler, née Lederer: they were deported in 1942 and murdered in occupied Poland. Mike Sigler is the grandson of Arthur Aron Sigler's brother.
  • On 17 May 2022 for Gerhart and Ingeburg Marion Sigler: The two were saved by Kindertransport to England. His son Nick Sigler took part in the transfer in 2022*.
  • On 30 September 2015 for Benjamin Sigler: He fled to England in 1934 and died in a plane crash in 1942. He was Mike Sigler's uncle, brother of Rolf Sigler.

Mike Sigler will meet the chairwoman of the Jewish community, Dr Ruth Röcher, in the new synagogue at the beginning of the day. He will be accompanied throughout the day by historian Dr Jürgen Nitsche and Cornelia Siegel, project manager for the Stumbling Stones at the City of Chemnitz. They will visit the Jewish cemetery in Chemnitz and other places where the Sigler family lived in Chemnitz.

More about the family history:
Laying of Stumbling Stones for Arthur Aron Sigler and Hedwig Sigler, née Lederer
Stumbling stone laying for Gerhart and Ingeburg Sigler

This year's laying of the Stumbling Stones will take place on 14 June 2023. A press invitation will be issued.


*changed on 5 June 2023