“Zum Steinerweichen” (“to soften a stone”) is a German saying that refers to someone crying so hard, they will be able to soften stone – a physical impossibility. Tears on one’s face are one of the most significant symbols in cultural history, which represents two perspectives: the cathartic effect of crying and its function as a “social signal”. Often tears are interpreted as authentic expressions of emotions, but at the same time suspected of being “false”. 

This black and white image is extracted from a German educational guide from the first half of the 20th century, when crying was seen as something a child would mostly do on purpose to gain power over its caregivers. The caption states: “This is how he wants to soften stones …”.
The surface of the Jurassic limestone, which was mechanically broken off the boulder, had been exposed to years of harsh weather conditions.