International Memorial and Liberation Celebration 2016
The Austrian Mauthausen Committee (MKÖ) will organise and coordinate in 2016 the largest memorial and liberation events in Europe for the 71st anniversary of the liberation of Mauthausen Concentration Camp, working in close cooperation with survivor organisations at a national (Austrian Camp Community) and international level (Comité International de Mauthausen).
This year's event will take place on
Sunday, 15th May 2016, 10am-12pm
at the site of Mauthausen Concentration Camp
with "international solidarity" as its thematic focus.
Program "International Memorial & Liberation Commemoration"
from 8:30 Rallies at the national memorials
09:00 Ecumenical Service (Chapel) with Bishop Dr. Michael BÜNKER, Father Mag. Christian ÖHLER and Metropolitan Dr. Arsenios KARDAMAKIS
Music: Mauthausen Gospel Team led by Christine ARNDT
from 09:30 Gathering of the former prisoners, the delegations and the diplomatic representatives at the former roll call area (please be aware of the sectors – our staff will gladly help)
10:00 Joint liberation celebration at the former roll call area. In 2016 the liberation celebration will take a stronger "Collaboration" character with all participants.
Opening address: Willi MERNYI, Chair of the Austrian Mauthausen Committee
Presenters: Konstanze BREITEBNER, Mercedes ECHERER
Musical accompaniment from the ensemble "Widerstand" and the "Ensemble 4 der Militärmusik OÖ" with pieces such as the European Hymn and "Moorsoldaten".
Memorial speeches: During the memorial procession, representatives from different national survivor and victim groups from Belgium, Italy, Serbia and the Ukraine will give speeches in their national languages.
from 11:30 All participants will leave the former camp section. Official end of the liberation ceremony.
11:45 Rallies at the national memorial
(Further information in the Programme)
12:30 International Youth Memorial Rally
(at the Young Person's memorial)
13:30 End of the national rallies
The importance of solidarity and the cooperation will also be shown with the completely new reconceptualisation of the commemorative events and the international liberation ceremony this year (please see the details in attachment). This year will see major changes to the events that have been unchanged for over forty years. In close collaboration with the Comité International Mauthausen and the various diplomatic representatives the events will emphasise and strengthen cooperation between the delegations.
- International Mauthausen Liberation Ceremony – New Sequence of events
- Parking information (D/E/F/I/R)
Altogether, more than 40,000 people took part in the memorial and liberation commemorations organised by the Mauthausen Committee! With more than 22,000 people, including survivors and numerous politicians from Austria and abroad, commemorations in 2015 at the Mauthausen memorial site, while a further 90 memorial events took place at former sub-camps and places of Nazi terror, sending a strong message of "Never Again". The majority of these events, visited by people from within the regions but also many countries throughout Europe, were organised by local organisations and initiatives in close cooperation with the Austrian Mauthausen Committee.