Author(s): Trevor Carroll

World History

Stumbling upon Berlin's gruesome past.

From 1933 to 1945, Germany was gripped by Nazi tyranny. During those turbulent years many minorities suffered. Amongst them were the non-Aryan, political opponents, trade unionists, the disabled, homosexuals and ...the Jews. Any person who opposed the regime or did not fit their racial profile was persecuted or murdered. 

Berlin is one of Trevor Carroll's favourite cities. In recent years, he happened upon the largest decentralised memorial in the world - Stolpersteine or 'Stumble Stones'. Intrigued, he started researching the stories behind each Stolperstein that rests among the cobblestones outside that victim's final home of choice. The Stolperstein, a unique brass plaque is stamped with its victim's name.

Follow Trevor as he stumbles from one Stolperstein to the next, uncovering the stories of some of the many who were taken by the Nazis. He uncovers stories of sacrifice, bravery and survival and the few who evaded Hitler's bloodlust.