Symbols Matter: Why I Hope Future Children will Stumble Upon the Solperstein in Honour of Jane Haining
Solperstein (Stumbling block) in Europe
Professor Joe Goldblatt
On Monday 24 November 2025 the City of Edinburgh will unveil the first ever Solperstein (German for “stumbling stone”) memorial plaque to be displayed in Scotland in honour of the Church of Scotland missionary teacher Jane Haining. Jane was murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz – Birkenau concentration camp on 17 July 1944 for simply protecting the lives of 200 Jewish children in Hungary.
Ironically, as we gather together as peaceful citizens to remember the heroism of Jane Haining, the United States Coast Guard announced that “The terminology ‘hate incident’ is no longer present in policy” and conduct that would have previously been handled as a potential hate incident will now be treated as “a report of harassment in cases with an identified aggrieved individual.”
Therefore, this military service that was first created by the request of Alexander Hamilton in 1790 now may use their individual discretion to allow the Nazi Swastika to be displayed if they believe that it will not cause disruption. This decision comes after the United States Secretary of War (formerly defense) ordered a review of all policies related to hazing, bullying, and harassment definitions in the armed services.
Some years ago whilst I was a member of the staff at a leading university in Scotland I returned to my desk from teaching and discovered a sealed envelope in my chair. I opened the envelope and was horrified to read a seven page letter filled with anti – semitic comments condemning the Jewish people. This letter arrived nearly a decade before the recent troubles that have greatly increased reports of Anti – Semitism as a result of the murder of 1200 Jews in Israel on 7 October 2025 and the subsequent murder of tens of thousands of Palestinians.
I carefully placed the letter back in the envelope and delivered it to the head of secruity at the University. The security head asked me what I wanted him to do with it. I told him he should report this to Police Scotland.
A few weeks later a Police Scotland constable emailed me and asked for a meeting. I replied by asking the constable to please let me know in advance when he would be coming to meet with me so that my colleagues would not wonder why I was walking through the campus accompanied by a uniformed constable.
The constable ignored my request and made a surprise visit to the University and I immediately changed my schedule to meet with him. We adjourned to a private room and he began by apologising while saying “I am sorry to do this. However, I must first finger print you to insure you did not send this letter to yourself.” He then told me that occassionally persons with mental illness do this and therefore, I needed to be cleared for the forthcoming report.
He produced his ink pad and I complied. He then told me that since the letter was posted from outwith the University and he may have a better chance of finding the culprit. He asked me a few more questions such as how often I received letters such as this one (never) and if I had any idea of who else might have sent this to me (none at all).
He left whilst thanking me for my time and cooperation and said “We will be in touch if we have any further information.”
I never heard from him again.
I did receive another email from outwith the University and referred this to the director of security as well. The security head also passed this along to Police Scotland and I was later told by another constable that tracing an email can sometimes be easier than tracing a posted letter.
However, once again, my police radio went silent and I never heard anything further.
Seeing a swastika upon my desk was both frightening and painful. Being ignored by others was devastating.
If the United States Coast Guard can allow their commanders to individually decide if this symbol of evil representing the death of six million Jews, Romas, LGBTQ+ and disabled folk can be displayed as long as it does not cause offense, then what will stop others from allowing this to appear as normative behaviour in our so called civil society?
In 2024 the nation of Australia voted to ban the swastika and other hate symbols. The swastika is also banned in Germany, France, Russia, and Ukraine. I wonder why the other countries of the world have not joined these countries in banning this controversial and painful symbol?
One argument is that the same symbol is considered sacred in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Janism. Therefore, to universally ban this symbol would harm those religions that respect it in other ways.
I have a different view. Whether it is the co – opting of the Scottish saltire to support pro – palestinian causes through the reimaginging of flags and banners or any other symbol that potentially causes fear, pain, and suffering, I believe these communication devices should be subject to our current hate crime legislation in Scotland and the perpetrators of hatred should be punished.
Throughout Europe, since 1993 when the artist Gunther Demnig laid the first stone in Cologne, Germany ther are now over 100,000 Solperstein plaques displayed to remember the victims and survivors of the Holocaust that was perpetuated by the Nazis. I hope that one day future children might stumble upon Jane Haining’s good name and remember that on a cold day in November, their fellow citzens celebrated her righteous and courageous acts.
I also wonder why we do not find ways as a civil society to work together to reimagine a flag or symbol of universal peace and respect similar to the rainbow flag that was first invented in 1978. After all, the country that gave birth to the Scottish enlightenment surely must be able to use our creative forces to reimagine and reinvent a new symbol that all of us may support. I look forward to one day waving with others the Scottish flag of peace and friendship, perhaps as we visit the Solperstein.
Professor Joe Goldblatt is Emeritus Professor of Planned Events at Queen Margaret University. He is Ambassador for Interfaith for the Edinburgh Interfaith Association. His views are his own. For more information about his views visit www.joegoldblatt.scot