Krupp Foundation supports the installation of two Stolpersteine outside the Essen Philharmonie
On Tuesday, two Stolpersteine were installed in front of the Essen Philharmonie in memory of Elkan Kosman, the former concertmaster of the Essen Philharmonic Orchestra, and his daughter, the concert pianist Lilian Kosman. The Europe-wide art project ‘Stolpersteine’ is one of the most well-known memorial projects commemorating people who were persecuted, displaced and murdered during the time of the National Socialists, and was initiated in 1992 by the artist Gunter Denning.
Elkan Kosman was concertmaster of the Essen Philharmonic Orchestra from 1906 to 1931 and was involved, among other projects, in the world premiere of Gustav Mahler’s Sixth Symphony in 1906. His successful career was brought to an end by the developments of the NS era. In 1938, he fled to the Netherlands.
His daughter Lilian Kosman, a professional musician and music teacher, also faced early restrictions on her professional activities: due to her Jewish heritage, she was no longer granted a teaching licence from 1934 onwards and was forbidden from performing in public. In 1938, she fled to the Netherlands with her parents.
Over the coming years, five further memorial stones are to be installed in front of the Essen Philharmonie, at the entrance to the Stadtgarten. The project, initiated by the Essen Philharmonic, is linked to the TIKWAH Festival of Jewish Music, which showcases the diversity of Jewish music and culture. As part of its long-standing commitment to promoting German-Jewish understanding, the Krupp Foundation is funding both the installation of the Stolpersteine and the festival.