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Monument to victims of accidental bombing during the Second World War

Dik Breunis

About this artwork.

On September 26, 1941, three bombs fell on three different houses in the Schildersbuurt in Groningen; an accidental bombardment by an English plane. The pilots assumed they were flying over uninhabited areas. Seven people were killed instantly: a 65-year-old widow, three small children from one family and three students who were together at a graduation party. A fourth student died a few months later from her injuries.

Artist and resident Dik Breunis assembled the memorial from three elements. The basis is a prefab concrete beam as a solid podium. A sheet of corten steel has been folded on it, containing the names and ages of the eight victims and a poem by Grietje Scholtens about what caused the bombardment. The lettering is cut into the plate with water jets.

The third element is a bronze shape, with a copper green patina, placed at the intersection of the concrete beam and corten steel plate. This bronze form again consists of three parts: a short, sturdy element for the older woman, a larger element with a rougher skin for the students and a high, more tortuous element for the children. The top of the three bronze shapes refers to Stolpersteine.

About the assignment.

The Stolpersteine ​​Schilderswijk Groningen Foundation has commissioned this monument for the eight unintended victims. The design for the monument has been presented to local residents and stakeholders. They contributed to the dimensions and lettering.

Part of route.

Location.

Jozef Israëlsplein (bij nr.8)

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Facts & Figures.