Have you noticed this stone? This is the Rudolf Mokry Stone. It stands as a memorial to a remarkable man.
Rudolf Mokry’s life was one of dedication. He was dedicated to sport, community, and resistance against injustice. Let’s delve into his story.
Rudolf Mokry was born in Klockow in 1905. He grew up in Rostock. Here, he attended the Altstädtische Schule. His father was a blacksmith. His mother worked as a cook.
Mokry joined the children’s group of the Rostock Workers Gymnastics Club. At 14, he switched to the Workers Athletes Club. He enjoyed wrestling. He also trained in swimming and gymnastics. These sports served as balance. He began an apprenticeship as a blacksmith. After work, he helped build the Arbeiter sport stadium. It is now the Volksstadion.
The economic crisis forced him to leave Rostock. Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg became his new home. In 1927, he found work as a locksmith. He joined the “Fichte” Workers Sports Club in Hamburg-Neuhof. There, he joined the fight against the Nazi regime.
In 1933, he was imprisoned in Lüneburg for the first time. In 1935, he formed an anti-fascist youth group. Young communists, social democrats, Jewish youths and Christians were members.
During hikes in the Lüneburg Heath, he taught Ju-Jutsu. This martial art served as self-defense. It protected them against attacks by the Hitler Youth and SA.
After being arrested again, he was briefly released in 1936. On April 22, 1937, he was sentenced to six years in prison. The charge was high treason. He served his sentence in Bremen-Oslebshausen.
His release papers were issued on October 22, 1941. But instead of freedom, he was transferred to Sachsenhausen concentration camp. There, he belonged to the illegal camp committee.
On October 11, 1944, Rudolf Mokry was murdered. He was killed along with three Frenchmen and 23 Germans. Mathias Thesen was among them.
This Rudolf Mokry Stone in Barnstorfer Forest serves as a reminder. It honors his courage and sacrifice. In Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg, a part of Industriestraße was renamed Mokrystraße in 1989. This was on the initiative of the German Communist Party Wilhelmsburg. In 2013, a Stolperstein was laid. The initiative came from the association “For a Social Wilhelmsburg”.
In Rostock, a handball tournament was held in 1988. It was organized by the Betriebssportgemeinschaft Pädagogik. The tournament was conducted in Rudolf Mokry’s honor.
Take a moment to reflect on Rudolf Mokry’s life. Consider his dedication to justice. Remember his tragic end. This stone is more than just a marker. It is a symbol of resistance and remembrance.