Stolperstein Dedicated to Johanna Fulda

MainzGermany 50° N · 8° E Updated Oct 2026

Visiting the Stolperstein dedicated to Johanna Fulda in Mainz, Germany, presents a deeply moving encounter with history through one of the most intimate…

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What the memorial is

The Stolperstein dedicated to Johanna Fulda is a small memorial embedded in a public sidewalk in Mainz’s Altstadt (Old Town). It belongs to the Stolpersteine (“stumbling stones”) project, which commemorates people persecuted by the Nazis at their last freely chosen residences. The stones turn ordinary streets into places of remembrance and invite passersby to pause and read about individual lives.

Each Stolperstein is described as a 10 × 10 cm concrete cube or cobblestone topped with a hand-engraved brass plate; another measurement given is 10 cm square (3.9 × 3.9 in.). Inscriptions include “Here lived,” a person’s name and birth year or date, their fate, and, when known, details such as deportation and the date and place of death. The stones are set flush with the pavement. Bending down to read one can be understood as a symbolic gesture of respect.

The project’s guiding principle is expressed in the Talmudic saying, “A person is only forgotten when his name is forgotten.” Its aim is to restore identity to people dehumanized by Nazi persecution and bring remembrance into everyday public spaces (pragueviews.com; stolpersteine.eu; Germany.info).

History

German artist Gunter Demnig initiated the Stolpersteine project in 1992, in the early 1990s; other accounts describe its start as the mid-1990s. The first unofficial Stolperstein was laid in Cologne in 1996, on the anniversary of Heinrich Himmler’s Auschwitz Decree ordering the deportation of Sinti and Roma to extermination camps (fabriziomusacchio.com).

The project commemorates Jewish victims as well as Sinti and Roma, people with disabilities, political dissidents, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses and others persecuted by the Nazis. It is described as the world’s largest decentralized Holocaust memorial. Figures cited for its reach include over 100,000 stones in 27 European countries as of May 2023; over 100,000 in more than 26 countries as of June 2025; and over 116,000 in more than 1,860 municipalities across 31 European countries, most of them in Germany. Another account gives over 116,000 stones in more than 31 countries (Stolpersteine.eu; pragueviews.com; mainz.de).

Mainz had a Jewish community of approximately 2,600 people in 1933. Persecution escalated to mass deportations; the last transport from Mainz to concentration camps departed on February 10, 1943. By the city’s liberation in 1945, only a handful of Jews remained, mainly people in so-called “mixed marriages.”

Mainz began installing Stolpersteine in 2007. Today, over 280 stones commemorate individuals and families affected by the Holocaust in Mainz and its districts. The city has hundreds of stones, including a cluster in Mainz-Altstadt honoring members of the Fulda family (Stolpersteine Mainz; commons.wikimedia.org).

Johanna Fulda was a Jewish resident of Mainz persecuted by the Nazis. Her Stolperstein marks her last freely chosen residence before deportation or murder. The cluster also includes stones for Margot Fulda, Ernst Fulda and Isaac Joseph Fulda. Further biographical information is available in the Stolpersteine Mainz digital archive.

What to see

Johanna Fulda’s Stolperstein is at Fischtorplatz 23, Mainz, embedded in the sidewalk in front of the building. It is in the Altstadt, a neighborhood of historic buildings and cobblestone streets. The exact address, map location and biography are also listed in the Stolpersteine Mainz online database. The location is shown on Mapcarta, and the Commons Wikimedia category includes Stolpersteine in Mainz-Altstadt.

The engraved plate is small, so visitors typically pause and look down to read it. Photographs and street views can help identify the stone and its setting. The project’s placement in the streets where people lived makes the memorial part of Mainz’s everyday landscape (Folklife Magazine).

Stolperstein for Johanna Fulda in Mainz

An Interactive Map of Stolpersteine in Mainz is available online. Short video documentaries about the project’s impact in Mainz are also available online.

Practical visiting information

Hours and admission

The Stolpersteine are public memorials in sidewalks, accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are no tickets or entrance fees to visit Johanna Fulda’s stone or other Stolpersteine in Mainz.

Daylight visits make the inscriptions easier to see. Early mornings or late afternoons may be quieter, with less foot traffic.

Getting there

The Stolperstein is in central Mainz’s Altstadt and is reachable on foot from the historic Old Town. Mainz Hauptbahnhof is about a 20-minute walk away. Local buses and trams stop nearby, and public transportation and bike-sharing options are available in the area (GermanSights.com; Public Transport in Mainz).

  • By public transport From Mainz Hauptbahnhof, take tram lines 50, 51 or 52 to or “Schillerplatz”; the stone is a short walk from these stops.
  • By car Parkhaus Rathaus and Parkhaus Theater are both a 5–10-minute walk away.
  • On foot or by bicycle The compact Old Town is walkable and has bike lanes.

For directions and contextual information, visitors can ask at the Mainz Tourist Office, or mainz STORE. It is described as being at Markt 17 / Domplatz and as being on Marktplatz next to the cathedral. Staff can provide information about Mainz’s remembrance culture (mainz STORE / Tourist Information; germansights.com).

Accessibility

The Stolperstein is at street level on a pedestrian-friendly sidewalk and is described as wheelchair accessible. However, some Old Town sidewalks and cobblestone streets are uneven, and accessibility can vary with mobility needs. Visitors requiring assistance can contact the tourist office; some guided tours offer additional support.

Tips

  • Approach the memorial respectfully and take a moment for quiet reflection, particularly as it is in a residential area.
  • Avoid standing directly on the stone when possible. Photography is generally allowed, but be discreet and considerate of residents’ privacy.
  • Small stones or flowers are sometimes left as tokens of remembrance. Leaving a small stone is described as a Jewish tradition.
  • Accounts mention visitors cleaning stones, as well as organized cleaning ceremonies and campaigns. Another set of visitor guidance advises not to remove, clean or alter Stolpersteine; they are protected memorials.
  • Most inscriptions are in German. Translations and biographies are available online, and some guided tours may provide interpretation in English and other languages. Reading Johanna Fulda’s biography beforehand can add context.
  • Mainz’s summers are described as mild and winters as cool. Comfortable walking shoes are useful, especially on uneven Old Town surfaces.
  • Public restrooms are available in nearby cafés and shopping centers. Cafés and dining options around Fischtorplatz and the Old Town include local bakeries, traditional German food and international cuisine.
  • One account describes Mainz as a safe city; it also advises visitors to remain aware of their surroundings and secure their belongings.
  • Local Holocaust education initiatives can be supported through donations or participation.

Nearby places

Other Mainz sites that can be visited alongside the Stolperstein include:

  • Mainz Cathedral (Dom St. Martin) A Romanesque cathedral near the tourist information office.
  • Gutenberg Museum Dedicated to Johannes Gutenberg, Mainz’s most famous resident and the inventor of the printing press.
  • Jewish Museum of Mainz A museum about the history and culture of Mainz’s Jewish community.
  • Rashi Synagogue.
  • Roman-Germanic Central Museum.
  • Mainz’s Old Town Historic streets, buildings, squares, cafés and markets.
  • The Rhine riverfront.
  • The New Jewish Cemetery in Mainz (Der neue jüdische Friedhof in Mainz).
  • The Jewish Museum in nearby Worms.

Additional visitor and project information is available from Mainz Tourist Information, Mainz Tourism, and the Audiala app, which is described as offering audio guides and interactive tours of Mainz’s historical sites.

Further reading and project information:

The following references are dated 2024 in the source material:

FAQ

Where is Johanna Fulda’s Stolperstein?
It is at Fischtorplatz 23 in Mainz’s Altstadt. The online archive provides the address, map location and biographical details.

When can I visit, and do I need a ticket?
The stone is accessible 24/7, and there is no admission fee or ticket requirement.

Is the site wheelchair accessible?
The stone is at sidewalk level and is described as wheelchair accessible, but nearby cobblestones and uneven surfaces may make access difficult for some visitors.

Are guided tours available?
There is no dedicated official tour for Johanna Fulda’s stone, but local organizations and the tourist office occasionally offer guided walks about Stolpersteine and Mainz’s Jewish history. Tours may require advance booking and may have a fee; some may be available in English upon request.

Can I take photographs?
Photography is generally allowed. Visitors are asked to be discreet and considerate of the solemn setting and nearby residents.

When are commemorative events held?
Events take place especially around Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27 and November 9, and during Stolperstein cleaning campaigns. Check with the Stolpersteine Mainz website or tourist office for current dates.