Utrecht University commemorates Second World War victims with Stolpersteine on Domplein
Stolpersteine for Marianne Helena Blazer, Jacques Bol, Jacob van Gelderen, Cornelis van Lier, and Henny Mimi de Vries
Today, students and staff from Utrecht University placed Stolpersteine (literally ‘stumbling stones’) on Domplein. These memorial stones honour four Utrecht students and a professor who lost their lives during the Second World War. “By laying these stones, we continue to say their names, ensuring that their lives and ideals are not forgotten,” says co-initiator Doris Abitzsch.
Uncovering the stories of war victims
A group of Utrecht students researched the lives of Marianne Helena Blazer, Jacques Bol, Jacob van Gelderen, Cornelis van Lier, and Henny Mimi de Vries, shedding light on the stories of these five individuals who all perished during the war.
To commemorate them, Stichting Stolpersteine was asked to create stumbling stones in their memory. This afternoon, the first four were placed. The Stolperstein for Cornelis van Lier will be laid later this year, alongside a stone for his niece, resistance fighter Truus van Lier, who studied Law at Utrecht University from 1940.
The impact of the Second World War on the university
“The Stolpersteine remind us of how deeply the Second World War affected daily life and the academic community,” says German lecturer Doris Abitzsch. “Students and academics faced oppression, persecution, and the difficult choice of either complying with or resisting the Nazi regime. Many lost their careers, their futures, and even their lives. It is vital that we keep telling their stories and remembering the horrors of the war, so we remain aware of the dangers of hatred and intolerance.”
Working with the community and relatives
Abitzsch and her colleague Stefan Sudhoff saw the importance of remembering the war as a key theme for their students. This led to the launch of the project Stolpersteine: Making Victims of National Socialism Visible within the German Language and Culture programme. Since 2022, the project has been integrated into several courses, combining academic study with remembrance.
It is vital that we keep telling their stories, so we remain aware of the dangers of hatred and intolerance.
“In the course Holocaust und deutsches Gedächtnis, students explored the lives of war victims with ties to Utrecht University,” Abitzsch explains. “As this was a Community Engaged Learning project, they had the opportunity to work with societal organisations and the victims’ relatives, which made it all the more meaningful.”
Student Jorja Vorsselman agrees: “I spoke to relatives of Jacques Bol, which was incredibly moving. You could tell that the research meant a great deal to them. I really feel like I got to know the people we studied on a personal level – it made the horrors of the war feel even more real.”
Not the last Stolpersteine on Domplein
“It’s amazing to see the impact of this project,” says Vorsselman. “Not just on us as students but also on people outside our degree, such as the victims’ families. I hope the Stolpersteine make people reflect on the importance of remembrance and help them appreciate the freedom we have today.”
Abitzsch sees today’s newly placed stones as the start of a larger Stolpersteine memorial on Domplein. “I hope people pause to reflect when they see them. It would be wonderful if this inspires others to explore the stories behind the names of war victims themselves.”
The German programme already has plans to continue the project. “We are expanding it to include Political History, Cultural History, and Media & Culture, and will work together with Stichting Stolpersteine and Utrecht Time Machine. Ewout van der Knaap has secured funding from the NRO to support this. This is just the beginning – we are committed to keeping these stories alive.”