Baden-Baden

Germany Updated Oct 2026

Steam rises from Baden-Baden’s hot springs while roulette wheels turn beneath gilded ceilings: this city in Germany has long paired bodily ease with a taste for risk. Roman bath ruins lie below the spa quarter, and Belle Époque colonnades lead toward the wooded slopes of the Black Forest. The contrast is the point.

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Baden-Baden, Germany Photo: Fabian Wiktor / Pexels
Attractions
10
Audio
6 h 28 min
Trip length
2–3 days
Best season
May–June or September

Why Baden-Baden

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UNESCO added Baden-Baden to its Great Spa Towns of Europe World Heritage site in 2021, recognizing a culture that flourished here from the 18th century to the 1930s. At the Friedrichsbad, opened in 1877, bathing still follows a 17-step ritual; the modern Caracalla Therme draws on hot springs rising from deep underground.

The city’s cultivated side gathers along the 2.3-kilometer Lichtentaler Allee, where museum buildings sit among mature trees and flower beds. Johannes Brahms spent summers in nearby Lichtental between 1865 and 1874, while the Festspielhaus fills a former railway station with the sound of opera and orchestral concerts.

Beyond the formal gardens, the mood turns local: Black Forest trout, handmade Spätzle and wines from the hillside villages of the Rebland. Baden-Baden can look like a stage set for Europe’s old elite, but its springs, forest paths and working vineyards reveal a town shaped as much by the land as by its visitors.

  • A spa town written in steam

    Baden-Baden’s thermal springs drew Roman bathers nearly 2,000 years ago; today, the Friedrichsbad’s 17-step bathing ritual and the modern pools of Caracalla Therme keep that old habit alive. UNESCO added the town to The Great Spa Towns of Europe in 2021.

  • Belle Époque, with a modern counterpoint

    Friedrich Weinbrenner’s neoclassical Kurhaus and its casino salons evoke the grand resort years, while Richard Meier’s white, light-filled Museum Frieder Burda sits beside the old trees of Lichtentaler Allee. The contrast feels deliberate: Baden-Baden never chose between its past and its present.

  • A garden avenue to the forest

    Follow the Oos along the 2.3-kilometre Lichtentaler Allee, where mature trees shade the path and the river keeps pace beside it. Above town, the Merkur funicular climbs to a 668-metre summit with views across the Rhine Plain to the Vosges.

  • Vineyards at the edge of the Black Forest

    The Rebland villages of Neuweier, Varnhalt and Steinbach grow Riesling—locally called Klingelberger—as well as Pinot Noir and other Baden wines. Their vineyard slopes begin where the Black Forest foothills open toward the Rhine Valley.

Places to Visit

Not every monument, just the ones we'd walk you past ourselves.

All 107 places in Baden-Baden

Neighborhoods

Where to wander, by quarter — each with its own rhythm.

  • Kurhaus and Spa District

    The city’s grand public face gathers around the Kurhaus, Casino and Kurpark. Walk beneath the Trinkhalle’s 90-meter colonnade, where 14 murals depict Black Forest stories, then descend to the Roman bath ruins or choose between the historic Friedrichsbad and modern Caracalla Therme.

  • Altstadt

    Narrow lanes and cobbled streets give the old town a more everyday scale than the casino quarter. Browse the pedestrian zone for bakeries, wine bars and cafés, then look uphill toward the Florentinerberg and the former margraves’ residence, Neues Schloss.

  • Lichtental

    This leafy district follows Lichtentaler Allee toward Kloster Lichtenthal, a 13th-century abbey. Brahms spent summers here from 1865 to 1874; the neighborhood’s quieter streets and local market make a good counterpoint to the ceremonial center.

  • Baden-Badener Rebland

    Neuweier, Varnhalt and Steinbach sit among vineyards where the Black Forest hills meet the Rhine Valley. Order a glass of local Riesling or Spätburgunder at a wine tavern, with Badish dishes and rows of vines in view.

  • Geroldsau

    At the edge of the forest, Geroldsau trades colonnades for meadows, woodland paths and the Grobbachtal waterfall. The Geroldsauer Mühle serves regional fare nearby, making this a natural place to pause after a walk.

Plan your trip

Before you go

Getting There
Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport (FKB) is about 15–18 km from town; bus 285 links its terminal with Baden-Baden Bahnhof in roughly 25–30 minutes. Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Stuttgart Airport (STR), Strasbourg Airport (SXB) and EuroAirport Basel–Mulhouse–Freiburg (BSL/MLH/EAP) are alternatives; long-distance trains call at Baden-Baden Bahnhof, with Rastatt Bahnhof a nearby interchange. By road, the A5 runs between Karlsruhe and Basel, while the B3 and B500 connect the town with the Rhine Valley and Black Forest.
Getting Around
Baden-Baden has no metro or tram; Stadtwerke Baden-Baden Linien buses form the local network, with line 201 running about every 10 minutes between Baden-Baden Bahnhof, the centre and Lichtental. Lines 204, 205, 216 and 218 serve outlying districts and attractions, and the Merkurbergbahn funicular climbs Merkur Mountain; cycling works well along the valley, though the old town has steep cobbled streets. In 2026, the Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month for local and regional transport, not ICE trains; the Baden-Baden Gästekarte offers discounts at selected baths, museums and attractions.
Climate & Best Time
Typical highs and lows run about 11–20°C and 3–10°C in spring, 24–26°C and 14–16°C in summer, 9–21°C and 3–11°C in autumn, and 4–6°C and −1–1°C in winter. Rain can fall year-round, with more frequent showers and thunderstorms from May through August; winter brings cool, sometimes misty days and occasional snow. May–October and the December Christmas market draw the most visitors, while January, February and November are quieter—try May, June or September for garden walks and vineyard weather.
Language & Currency
German is the local language, and English is widely spoken at hotels, thermal baths, major museums and many restaurants. Baden-Baden uses the euro (€); carry some cash for small bakeries and forest inns, and round up or leave about 5–10% for good restaurant service.

03 Top tickets in Baden-Baden.

Book ahead

Curated from places in this city. Same price as official sites.

Baden-Baden Private walking tour
Trinkhalle Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden Private walking tour
★5.0 from €350
Baden-Baden Self Guided Audio Tour in English
Trinkhalle Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden Self Guided Audio Tour in English
★4.3 from €9.99

Prices shown are indicative — final pricing and availability are confirmed at checkout. Audiala may receive a commission from bookings made via these links.

From Roman Springs to Europe’s Summer Salon

Baden-Baden’s story flows from ancient baths through fire, courtly fortunes, and modern culture

  1. c. 1st century BCE

    Celtic Communities Find the Springs

    Before Roman rule, Celtic communities lived in the Oos valley, where hot mineral water rose from the ground. The springs would give the settlement its enduring purpose: people came here first for the water, long before the grand hotels and promenades.

  2. c. 70

    Rome Founds Aquae

    Roman settlers established Aquae, a military settlement and bathing place near the empire’s Upper Germanic frontier. By the early third century, the baths had grown into a sophisticated complex, with heated rooms that carried warmth beneath the floor.

  3. 1112

    Baden Gains Its Name

    Hermann II completed Burg Hohenbaden above the town and styled himself Margrave of Baden in a charter. The castle’s position on the Battert cliffs made the new dynasty’s authority visible from the valley below.

  4. 1254

    Lichtenthal Abbey Is Founded

    Margravine Irmengard founded a Cistercian convent at Lichtenthal. Its church and quiet cloisters became the burial place of Baden’s ruling family, joining dynastic memory to the town’s religious life.

  5. 14th century

    Hot Springs Face the Plague

    During epidemics, accounts of Baden describe townspeople channeling hot spring water through street gutters as a measure against disease. The practice shows how thoroughly the springs shaped daily life, though it could not guarantee protection from plague.

  6. 1479

    The Court Moves Downhill

    Margrave Christoph I moved his residence from Hohenbaden to the Neues Schloss on the Florentinerberg. The princely seat now stood closer to the town and its baths, trading cliff-edge defense for a more immediate presence in Baden’s streets.

Show the full timeline (29 moments)
  1. 1535

    Baden Splits in Two

    The Margraviate of Baden was divided between two branches of the ruling family. Baden-Baden became the seat of the Catholic line, while Baden-Durlach followed a separate course from its own centers of power.

  2. August 24, 1689

    Fire Burns the Town

    French troops set fire to Baden-Baden during the War of the Palatinate Succession. The flames destroyed much of the town, including the Neues Schloss and Hohenbaden; the spa town had to rebuild from ash and broken stone.

  3. 1705

    The Court Leaves for Rastatt

    Margrave Louis William transferred his court and administration to the new residence at Rastatt. Baden-Baden lost its role as capital, a blow that left the town with fewer courtly visitors and a damaged economy.

  4. 1765–1766

    A New Spa Quarter Takes Shape

    The Promenadehaus and a chestnut-lined boulevard began a new spa district west of the Oos River. Baden’s recovery took the form of promenades and meeting places, not a return to the old medieval town plan.

  5. 1771

    The Baden Lines Reunite

    The Catholic Baden-Baden line ended with the death of Margrave Augustus George. Charles Frederick of Baden-Durlach inherited the territory and reunited the margraviate, though Karlsruhe remained the capital.

  6. 1806

    Baden Becomes a Grand Duchy

    Napoleonic reorganization elevated Baden to a Grand Duchy and brought it into the Confederation of the Rhine. Baden-Baden was no longer a princely capital, but its springs and growing spa facilities offered a different kind of influence.

  7. 1821–1824

    Weinbrenner Builds the Kurhaus

    Architect Friedrich Weinbrenner designed the Kurhaus, completed in 1824, with a broad neoclassical front and Corinthian columns. Its halls gave spa visitors somewhere to gather after drinking the waters or walking beneath the trees.

  8. 1838

    Bénazet Takes the Casino

    French entrepreneur Jacques Bénazet secured the casino concession and brought fresh money to Baden-Baden’s resort economy. Casino revenues helped pay for urban improvements and rooms designed to impress guests arriving from across Europe.

  9. 1839–1842

    The Trinkhalle Opens

    Heinrich Hübsch designed a 90-metre pump room colonnade beside the Kurhaus, its long arcade lined with 14 murals by Jakob Götzenberger. Visitors could sip spring water beneath painted scenes of Black Forest legends, a ritual that turned health into public theater.

  10. 1848–1849

    Revolution Reaches Baden

    Democratic uprisings swept through Baden, and in 1849 revolutionaries declared a republic after Grand Duke Leopold fled. Prussian forces crushed the revolt at Rastatt in July, ending the experiment and sending many supporters into exile.

  11. 1858

    Racing Draws New Crowds

    Édouard Bénazet helped establish international horse races at nearby Iffezheim. The race meetings added a sporting season to Baden-Baden’s spa calendar and brought a new wave of aristocrats, gamblers, and spectators.

  12. 1862

    Berlioz Opens the Theatre

    Hector Berlioz’s comic opera Béatrice et Bénédict premiered at the opening of Baden-Baden’s theatre. The composer had written the work for the town, giving its social season a musical event with a life beyond the casino rooms.

  13. 1863

    Turgenev Joins the Salon

    Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev settled in Baden-Baden, drawn in part by his closeness to singer Pauline Viardot. He later set Smoke in the town, using its Russian aristocratic visitors as material for a sharp portrait of life abroad.

  14. 1865

    Brahms Finds a Summer Home

    Johannes Brahms began spending summers in Lichtenthal, where the quiet of his house offered a counterpoint to the casino’s glitter. He worked on major compositions here, including his First Symphony; the house survives as the Brahms-Haus museum.

  15. 1867

    Dostoevsky Loses at Roulette

    Fyodor Dostoevsky returned to Baden-Baden and lost money at the casino’s roulette tables. His gambling experiences in the town and elsewhere fed the fictional resort of Roulettenburg in The Gambler, published the year before.

  16. 1872

    Imperial Law Closes the Casino

    A ban on public gambling across the German Empire forced Baden-Baden’s casino to close. The town had to lean more heavily on its baths and health resort trade, rather than the roulette tables that had helped finance its grandeur.

  17. 1877

    Friedrichsbad Opens Its Doors

    Karl Dernfeld’s neo-Renaissance Friedrichsbad opened above the remains of the Roman baths. Its bathing sequence joined Roman-inspired pools to Irish hot-air treatment, turning ancient thermal water into a carefully staged modern cure.

  18. 1918

    The Grand Duchy Ends

    Germany’s revolution brought Grand Duke Frederick II’s rule to a close; he abdicated on November 22. Baden became a republic within the new Weimar state, and Baden-Baden entered a political era without its grand ducal court.

  19. 1931

    The City Takes Its Double Name

    The municipality formally adopted the name Baden-Baden, distinguishing itself from other places called Baden. The doubled name made explicit what visitors had long understood: this was the Baden whose identity rested on its baths.

  20. 1945

    French Forces Establish Their HQ

    French forces took control of Baden-Baden in April, near the end of a war that left the city less damaged than many German towns. The French military administration made it its headquarters, bringing occupation offices and soldiers into the old spa setting.

  21. 1985

    Caracalla Therme Opens

    A new thermal complex opened, named for the Roman emperor associated with Baden’s ancient baths. Its modern pools draw on springs that rise hot from deep underground, carrying the city’s oldest resource into a new age of bathing.

  22. 1998

    The Festspielhaus Welcomes Music

    The Festspielhaus opened inside and around the neoclassical façade of Baden-Baden’s former central railway station. Its 2,500 seats turned a building once made for arrivals into one built for opera and concert audiences.

  23. 2021

    UNESCO Recognizes the Spa Town

    UNESCO inscribed Baden-Baden as part of The Great Spa Towns of Europe, a transnational World Heritage site shared with ten other towns. The designation recognizes more than its baths: the promenades, pump room, Kurhaus, and old resort plan together tell the story of Europe’s spa culture.

Who lived here

  • Composer · 1833–1897

    Johannes Brahms

    Summered in Lichtental from 1865 to 1874

    Brahms spent summers at the house now known as the Brahms Museum, working among the hills and gardens of Lichtental. He might recognize the quiet walks that drew him here, even as the town’s concert calendar grew far beyond the intimate rooms where he worked.

  • Novelist · 1821–1881

    Fyodor Dostoevsky

    Visited Baden-Baden in 1867

    Dostoevsky came to Baden-Baden in 1867 and lost heavily at the roulette table; the fever of that visit fed into his novel The Gambler. Today’s orderly spa streets would look familiar, but the casino’s polished rooms still hold the old tension between self-control and chance.

  • Novelist · 1818–1883

    Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev

    Lived in Baden-Baden during the 1860s

    Turgenev spent years in Baden-Baden, where Russian visitors mixed with the town’s European spa society; he set his novel Smoke here. He might find the same social theatre in the Kurhaus, though today the promenaders carry phones instead of calling cards.

Where to Eat

Where locals actually book dinner — not the tourist menus.

Insider tips

Small things that change how the city treats you.

  • Bus From The Station

    Baden-Baden’s railway station sits outside the central spa quarter; use the local bus links rather than planning to walk with luggage. Check the KVV timetable before you travel, especially for evening connections.

  • Check Casino Dress

    Men need a jacket to enter the Casino Baden-Baden’s classic gaming rooms. The casino lists jacket rental for €10, but check its current entry rules before heading over.

  • Carry Some Cash

    Keep cash handy for weekly farmers’ markets and small bakery stalls, where card payment may not be available. Hotels and many larger restaurants accept major cards.

  • Walk The Allee

    Use the 2.3–3 km Lichtentaler Allee as a low-cost route between the Kurhaus, parkland and Lichtenthal Abbey. Wear comfortable shoes; it’s a better way to see the town than hopping between sights by car.

  • Plan Dinner Early

    Traditional kitchens may close between lunch and dinner, while dinner service often runs from about 18:30 to 21:00. Book fine-dining tables ahead, and keep a café in mind if you eat outside those hours.

  • Choose Your Baths

    Pick the historic Friedrichsbad for its 17-step bathing ritual or Caracalla Therme for indoor and outdoor pools. Check each bath’s current hours, prices and entry requirements before setting out.

  • Mind Your Valuables

    Keep your phone and wallet secure on buses and in event crowds, and check current travel advice before departure. Germany’s official U.S. travel advisory is a useful place to review broader safety updates.

Frequently asked

Is Baden-Baden worth visiting?

Yes, if you’re drawn to thermal bathing, elegant 19th-century architecture and Black Forest walks. Its spa district is part of UNESCO’s Great Spa Towns of Europe, and the Roman bath ruins offer a much older layer beneath the polished façades.

How many days do you need in Baden-Baden?

Plan on two or three days for the spa quarter, a thermal bath, Lichtentaler Allee and one museum or hillside outing. One day works for a walk through the centre and a single bath; add time for hiking or the Rebland wine villages.

How do you get from Baden-Baden station to the city centre?

Local buses connect the railway station with the central spa quarter. Check the KVV timetable for the best departure when you arrive, since the station is outside the walkable centre.

Is Baden-Baden safe for tourists?

Baden-Baden is generally safe for visitors, but use ordinary city precautions: keep valuables close on public transport and in crowds. Check your government’s current Germany travel advice before departure.

Is Baden-Baden expensive to visit?

It can be: thermal baths, fine dining and casino evenings can raise the bill quickly. Balance those paid outings with a walk along Lichtentaler Allee, the Kurpark and the town’s historic streets, and carry cash for smaller market stalls.

What is the best time of year to visit Baden-Baden?

May and June bring rose gardens into bloom and coincide with the regional white-asparagus season; September is another good month for walking and wine-country outings. For a winter visit, check the dates of the Christkindelsmarkt, which typically runs from late November into early January.

Can you get around Baden-Baden without a car?

Yes. The central spa quarter and Lichtentaler Allee are well suited to walking, and local buses help with the railway station and outlying districts; the Merkur funicular reaches the summit from its valley station. A car is useful for exploring farther into the Black Forest, not for the central sights.

All Places to Visit.

107 places to discover

Geroldsau Waterfall
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Geroldsau Waterfall

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Schloss Favorite

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Observation Tower Baden-Baden Merkur

Theater Baden-Baden
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Theater Baden-Baden

Hohenbaden Castle
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Hohenbaden Castle

Museum Frieder Burda
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Museum Frieder Burda

Trinkhalle Baden-Baden
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Trinkhalle Baden-Baden

Fabergé Museum
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Fabergé Museum

Battertfelsen Beim Schloß Hohenbaden
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Battertfelsen Beim Schloß Hohenbaden

Fremersberg Tower
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Fremersberg Tower

Windeck Castle
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Windeck Castle

Stiftskirche
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Stiftskirche

Autobahnkirche St. Christophorus (Baden-Baden)
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Autobahnkirche St. Christophorus (Baden-Baden)

Stadtmuseum Baden-Baden
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Stadtmuseum Baden-Baden

Lautenfelsen
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Lautenfelsen

Lichtenthal Abbey
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Lichtenthal Abbey

Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
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Festspielhaus Baden-Baden

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Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden

Merkur
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Merkur

Kurhaus of Baden-Baden
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Kurhaus of Baden-Baden

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Brahms House

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Baden-Baden

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Baden-Oos Airfield

Leopoldsplatz
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Leopoldsplatz

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Kunstmuseum Gehrke-Remund

Stolperstein Dedicated to Alfred Mainzer
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Alfred Mainzer

Stolperstein Dedicated to Alfred Rosbasch
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Alfred Rosbasch

Stolperstein Dedicated to Anna Bach
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Anna Bach

Stolperstein Dedicated to Anna Flehinger
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Anna Flehinger

Stolperstein Dedicated to Anna Fried
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Anna Fried

Stolperstein Dedicated to Anna Michaelis
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Anna Michaelis

Stolperstein Dedicated to Arthur Ullmann
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Arthur Ullmann

Stolperstein Dedicated to Beate Schwarz
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Beate Schwarz

Stolperstein Dedicated to Berta Dreifuss
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Berta Dreifuss

Stolperstein Dedicated to Berta Stern
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Berta Stern

Stolperstein Dedicated to Clara Baer
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Clara Baer

Stolperstein Dedicated to Clara Bielefeld
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Clara Bielefeld

Stolperstein Dedicated to Dora Joseph
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Dora Joseph

Stolperstein Dedicated to Dorothea Hecht
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Dorothea Hecht

Stolperstein Dedicated to Dr. Arnold Sack
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Dr. Arnold Sack

Stolperstein Dedicated to Dr. Eugen Fried
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Dr. Eugen Fried

Stolperstein Dedicated to Dr. Kurt Lehmann
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Dr. Kurt Lehmann

Stolperstein Dedicated to Dr. Waldemar Sack
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Dr. Waldemar Sack

Stolperstein Dedicated to Else Less
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Else Less

Stolperstein Dedicated to Else Weiss
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Else Weiss

Stolperstein Dedicated to Emil Gustav Fried
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Emil Gustav Fried

Stolperstein Dedicated to Emil Kaufmann
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Emil Kaufmann

Stolperstein Dedicated to Emilie Barbara Greiner
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Stolperstein Dedicated to Emilie Barbara Greiner

Showing 1–48 of 107 places

Photo credits (2)
  1. Fabian Wiktor — Pexels License (https://www.pexels.com/license/) — Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/4011445/
  2. Vaidas Vaiciulis — Pexels License (https://www.pexels.com/license/) — Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/11664854/

Photos may have been resized or cropped.