Program Commemoration ceremonies

Event against violence on Holocaust Memorial Day

Ensemble Vocalodie will be performing works by Andreas Salzbrunn, Rudolf Mauersberger and Heinrich Schütz.
First performance of Michael Hazod’s Sounds of Stone ("Töne aus Stein"); Tina KELLER and Erwin FRIEDL will be reading works by Wolfgang Borchert:
"Requiem for a Friend", "Generation without Farewell", "And then there is only one thing!"
Stefan PETERMANN (former writer-in-residence of Wels) talks about his text "Sounds of Stone".

Memories of the “Mühlviertel Manhunt“

Author reading and literary talk featuring Elisabeth SCHMIDAUER. Schmidauer‘s novel “Fanzi“ documents memories which, initially suppressed within families, came back to haunt them. Memories of the “Mühlviertel Manhunt“ and the annihilation of persons in need of care will be presented.

Commemoration at the Memorial for Peace

A commemoration will be held at the Memorial for Peace with a word collage on the "Mühlviertler Menschenhatz im Februar 1945" (eng. "Mühlviertel Manhunt in February 1945") with a focus on the guiding theme. Afterwards the participants will walk to the memorial of the protestant Diakoniewerk. Along the way, the names of children and young people who were murdered in the former Hartheim satellite camp as "Useless Life" will be called out.

Commemoration Ceremony at the Memorial Stone

In commemoration of the "euthanasia killings" 1940-1944.

Theater revue featuring poems by Erich Kästner newly set to music

Gruppe Zelinzki will present a theatre revue with poems by Erich Kästner which have been newly set to music. Though largely known as an author of children’s books, Kästner was also as a critical chronicler of the times. His poems are a lasting plea for peace and justice, for a decent and enlightened life. The music group Zelinzki has set 14 of his poems to music and collated them in a theatre revue in 13 acts.

12^th Political Ash Wednesday at Bildungshaus Schloss Puchberg

In a conversation with Wilhelm ACHLEITNER, psychiatrist Heidi KASTNER discusses human stupidity, ignorance and the power of "alternative facts". "We encounter stupidity in many forms - but how can we recognize it?" An entertaining discussion about a serious topic, which in such crisis-ridden times and under the influence of social media continues to grow in social importance.
The Wels Initiative against Fascism has been inviting interesting personalities to a dialogue on Ash Wednesday every year since 2011 as a civil society counter to the hate and hate rallies of right-wing parties.

Symposium "Rethinking Commemoration"

RE.F.U.G.I.U.S. – Rechnitz Refugee and Commemoration Initiative

In recent years, we have been confronted with many new challenges concerning the way we commemorate the Shoah: The last contemporary witnesses are dying, the historical message has long since failed to reach all of society, and the warning message commemoration conveys is apparently not enough to prevent anti-semitism from becoming more widespread and more overt. What effect do ritualized days of remembrance still have today? What about the culture of remembrance and what warnings the Shoah holds for the present? And could digital media offer new opportunities?
These and many other questions will be discussed at this conference on forms of commemoration in the 2020s.

Memorial Trail

In memory of the march of the prisoners from the sites of hard labor to the former camp area.

Commemoration of all victims of the construction of the South-East wall

Memorial with
Paul GULDA (RE.F.U.G.I.U.S.)
Claudia PRUTSCHER (Vice president of the The Jewish community Vienna)
Shmuel BARZILAI (Chief Cantor of the Jewish community Vienna)
Representative of the Jewish community Zalaegerszeg
Music: Bogdan Laketic

Commemoration ceremony at the former satellite camp Vienna Saurer-Werke

Premiere of the musical "Briefe von Ruth" (engl. Letters from Ruth)

BRIEFE VON RUTH is about the fate and above all the courage of a young woman at the time of the Nazis to fight against conventions, to constantly question social developments critically in her diaries and letters, a young adolescent on a deep search for identity, her love for a woman, the poet Gunvor Hofmo, whom she meets and falls in love with in the darkest times - at the age of 18 as an emigrant in Norway. Their love lasted until her death, even against medical advice, and Gunvor Hofmo went to prison for weeks for her liberal beliefs. The play shows the life of a girl whose positive strength, astute powers of observation, and literary and artistic creativity had a tangible effect on her fellow human beings right up to her early end, making her testimony all the more stirring.

The world premiere is under the honorary protection of the President Alexander Van der Bellen, is produced in cooperation with the New York Opera Society and is a reference project of the cultural capital Bad Ischl- Salzkammergut 2024.

More info at: www.musical-gmunden.com

Wreath-laying ceremony at the site of the former satellite camp Wiener Neustadt

At the memorial near Serbenhalle in a small group with municipal representatives.

Liberation celebration at the site of former satellite camp Hinterbrühl with prayer at the Stations of The Cross

Participants can visit five different stations of the cross with varying themes, and with musical accompaniment.

Commemoration ceremony at the Roma and Sinti Memorial

The Cultural Association of Austrian Roma and the Peace Office Salzburg jointly invite to a commemorative ceremony at the Roma and Sinti memorial. During the National Socialist regime, Roma and Sinti were imprisoned at the former Trabrennplatz and taken from there to the Maxglan camp, which the National Socialists called a "gypsy camp". The Maxglan camp was abandoned in late March / early April 1943 by virtue of the Auschwitz decree. The majority of the Roma and Sinti were deported to CC-Auschwitz, a smaller group to Camp Lackenbach. Only a few of them survived.

Remembrance of the victims of the death marches

The commemoration of the victims of the death marches from Mauthausen/Gusen to Gunskirchen starts in the village of Ennsdorf at the bildstock. After a short speech we will walk together along the death march route to Enns.

Commemoration ceremony of the victims of the death marches of 1945

A new memorial monument opened here in October 2022, depicting death march victims in the surrounding communities and highlighting David Hersch's rescue story. After the presentation of the monument, the path continues through the elementary school in Enns, past the memorial plaque for Bozena Skrabalek.

Evening event on Civil Courage

The 2023 commemoration will conclude in the Enns-St. Laurenz parish hall with texts, stamps, exchanges and stories about people who acted courageously and thus stood up for others.

Solemn Vigil of the Catholic Austrian Student Fraternity Riegersburg Fürstenfeld (MKV)

Against neo-Nazism, violence and extremism on the focal theme of "Civil Courage".
Commemorative speech: Gerald GUSCHLBAUER.

Commemoration ceremony at the memorial for the victims of the death marches

In the spring of 1945, the Nazis drove more than 15,000 people, most of them Hungarian jews, on so-called death marches from the overcrowded concentration camp of Mauthausen to Gunskirchen satellite camp. During the three-day long foot march, about 6,000 people lost their lives. At Gunskirchen camp, 200-300 people starved daily, or they died from dysentery or a typhus epidemic. 1,030 of these victims were buried on Wels cemetery, where a memorial stone was erected upon initiative of the Wels Antifa in 2001.
Welcome: Rudolf SPITZER (board member of the Wels Initiative against Fascism)
Speaker: Prof. Andreas GRUBER (director and screenwriter)
Concluding remarks: Mag. Werner RETZL (chairperson of the Wels Initiative against Fascism)

MEMORIAL WALK – "Civil Courage"

Commemoration of the death marches of Jews from Mauthausen/Gusen to Gunskirchen at Kremsbrücke near Gasthaus Stockinger.

"The more citizens with civil courage a country has, the fewer heroes it will need one day."
Franka Magnani, Italian journalist, 1925-1996

Liberation ceremony and wreath-laying at the site of the former satellite camp Lenzing

Welcome: Mascha AURACHER
Memorial speeches: Margret LEHNER-WESSELY, author and journalist Petra RAMSAUER

Flowers will be laid down in memory of the deceased women prisoners.

Commemoration ceremony at the site of the former satellite camp St. Aegyd am Neuwalde

Pupils of the secondary school St. Aegyd will be responsible for organising the contents of the ceremony on the theme of “Civil Courage”. The commemoration will begin at Kulturstadl on St. Aegyd's market square, followed by a silent march to the concentration camp cemetery.

Commemoration ceremony and wreath-laying at the memorial

Memorial speech: Alois SIX (mayor of Neukirchen an der Vöckla)
Contributions by students of MS Neukirchen an der Vöckla
Musical accompaniment by students of MS Timelkam

Flowers will be laid down in memory of the deceased prisoners.

Celebration of the Memorial Day against Violence and Racism

on the topic of "Civil Courage". Greeting by mayor and member of parlament Christoph STARK. With a speech by Ursula REITER and a musical contribution by the music school Gleisdorf.

Commemoration ceremony of the victims of National Socialism at the "Foreign Race Children’s Home"

Commemorative speech: Dr. Maria PRIELER-WOLDAN (social researcher and author)

Commemoration ceremony at the site of the former satellite camp St. Valentin

on the topic of "Civil Courage". Speakers: Prof. Kathrin STAINER-HÄMMERLE and Dr. Rupert GRILL from St. Valentin parish. Moreover, mayor Mag. Kerstin SUCHAN-MAYR and City Councillor for culture, Leopold FEILECKER will give speeches. The event will be co-organised by students of Langenhart middle school and accompanied by music.
After the commemoration ceremony, the participants will lay white roses at the memorial.

International Youth Meeting

Over 400 young people from Germany, Poland, France, Austria and Italy discuss ways of commemorating, the development of the memorial at the site of the former satellite camp Gusen and civil courage then and now.

Commemoration ceremony for the victims of war and National Socialism

Speeches by Johannes WAIDBACHER (Mayor) and Monika SOMMER (House of History Austria).

Stations of Commemoration

Presentation of music and texts at "Löwengang", near the former camp gate, at the memorial tunnel, and at the victims’ cemetery.

Commemoration of the victims of National Socialism

This commemoration is also the inauguration of the new anti-fascist memorial. It will replace a former Waffen-SS memorial that served as a pilgrimage site for right-wing extremists. The former Waffen-SS memorial is now an anti-fascist memorial. It provides information in German and English about the historical facts and it is exemplary of a vibrant culture of remembrance as well as of active commitment against right-wing extremism.

Introduction: Dr. Robert EITER; Spokesperson of the Upper Austrian Network against Racism and Right-Wing Extremism
Speeches: Dr.ⁱⁿ Charlotte HERMAN, President of the Jewish Community Linz
Jakob ULBRICH, Vicepresident of Catholic Action Upper Austria
Will MERNYI, Chairman of Mauthausen Committee Austria
Closing remarks: Thomas ANTLINGER, B.Ed.Univ., Member of the State Parliament
Music: Pichler Truhlar Music

Reading

Erich HACKL reads from his book "Am Seil" (engl."On the Rope")

"Walk of Solidarity"

On Liberation Day, we will join survivors of the Gunskirchen concentration camp on the Walk of Solidarity for a joint liberation ceremony. The "Walk of Solidarity" starts at the memorial on Bundesstrasse 1 and ends at the site of the former satellite camp Gunskirchen.

Liberation ceremony at the site of the former satellite camp Ebensee

Memorial speech: Karl-Markus GAUSS and Ron MANHEIM, son of a survivor of Ebensee satellite camp.

Future needs remembrance

The civil society initiative "Zukunft braucht Erinnerung" (Future Needs Remembrance) takes the "Day of Remembrance against Violence and Racism in Memory of the Victims of National Socialism - May 5" and the "Day of Joy - May 8", which were passed by the Austrian National Council in 1997, as an opportunity to remember the victims of National Socialism and at the same time to bring these memories into the social and political present of Styria. At the center of the work is a joint public commemoration and ceremony in Graz as well as the coordination and visualization of commemoration and remembrance initiatives throughout Styria.

Program
Introduction Lothar LÄSSER
Greetings by Provincial Councillor Juliane BOGNER-STRAUß
Ceremonial address by Vladimir VERTLIB
Greetings Mayoress Elke KAHR
Music and literature Erich Oskar HUETTER & Stefan HECKEL & Daniel DOUJENIS
Reading and conversation Erich HACKL with Lucia HEILMAN
Music Irina KARAMARKOVIC & Denovaire
Statement Woman.Life.Freedom.
Poetry Slam Memo & Muhammed Dumanli
Reading Ninja REICHERT
Music Lothar LÄSSER
Moderator Heidrun PRIMAS

Liberation ceremony at the site of the former satellite camp Gusen

Speakers: Executive Scientific Director of the Documentation Center of Austrian Resistance (DÖW) Dr. Andreas KRANEBITTER: Resistance groups in the Gusen Concentration Camps, Univ. Prof. Dr. Martina GUGGLBERGER (University of Linz): Women in the resistance.

Tour of the only preserved tunnel of the "Bergkristall" plant, with short introduction at the museum of local history in St. Georgen an der Gusen, Färbergasse 2.

Commemoration ceremony at the Roma and Sinti Memorial as part of the International Liberation Ceremony

Organisation: Cultural Association of Austrian Roma

International Youth Commemoration Ceremony

International Commemoration and Liberation Ceremony under the motto of "Civil Courage"

The International Liberation Ceremony of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp Memorial will take place on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the liberation of the Mauthausen concentration camp. This year again, the International Liberation Ceremony will start with a commemorative procession with an unlimited number of participants. After the wreath-laying ceremony, the participants of the commemoration procession will be invited to take part in the joint liberation ceremony at the former roll call square. The International Liberation Ceremony will be hosted by actresses Mercedes ECHERER and Konstanze BREITEBNER in several languages. The ceremony will be broadcast in Austria on ORF III and streamed internationally in several languages on the on-line channels of MKÖ.

The liberation celebration is dedicated to the thematic focus of "Civil Courage". Building a bridge to the present is also an essential component this year. In addition to the International Liberation Ceremony at the Mauthausen Concentration Camp Memorial, a virtual commemoration will be held on the annual theme.

More information at www.befreiungsfeier.at/en.

Commemoration in memory of the "Mühlviertel Manhunt"

Opening and welcome by member of national parliament Sabine SCHATZ und Mayor Christian TAUSCHEK
Memorial speech: Thomas BAUM
Music: "Hausgemacht" (engl. homemade)

Wreath-laying in commemoration of the former satellite camp Amstetten

in remembrance of civilian victims of the bombings in 1944/45.
There will be a wreath-laying ceremony as well as ecumenical prayer.
Speeches: Christian HABERHAUER, mayor of the city of Amstetten, representatives of MKÖ and of the state of Lower Austria, representatives of Amicale de Mauthausen (Belgium), cultural and musical programme by Amstetten schools.

Liberation ceremony at the site of the former satellite camp Melk

Young people from the region will provide substantive input to the theme of "Civil Courage".

Wreath-laying ceremony

On the day of the surrender of the Nazi regime, the victims of Nazi terror are commemorated during a solemn ceremony at the monument to the victims of the Gestapo.

Speakers:
Dr. Barbara STAUDINGER; Director of the Jewish Museum Vienna
Mag.a. Judith PÜHRIGNER; City Councilor and Co-Party Chairwoman of the Green Party Vienna
Oskar DEUTSCH; President of the Jewish Community Vienna
David ELLENSOHN; Member of the Provincial Parliament and Chairman of the Green Party Vienna
Niki KUNRATH; Member of the Provincial Parliament

Music: Eva Landkammer and colleague

Liberation celebration at the site of former Steyr satellite camp

on the topic of "Civil Courage".
Welcome: Mag. Karl RAMSMAIER - Mauthausen Committee Steyr; speech: Mayor of Steyr Ing. Markus VOGL; Memorial speech: Dr.in Brigitte HALBMAYR - Sociologist and political scientist. Words of commemoration: Daniel SIMON - Amical de Mauthausen; Contribution to the topic of "Civil Courage" by students of HLW Steyr; Music: Tromax, under the direction of Eva Schiffler.
Followed by wreath-laying and a minute of silence at the Concentration Camp memorial. In case of bad weather, the event will take place at the Münichholz fire station, Prinzstraße 1a, in Steyr.

Festival of Joy

Commemorating the victims and the joy at the liberation from the Nazi regime of terror, MKÖ is organizing the Festival of Joy 2023 for the eleventh time. In 2023, the festival will be dedicated to the thematic focus of "Civil Courage". For the first time, there will be an international music programme featuring Konstantin WECKER and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mark MAST. The highlights of the event include speeches by Anna HACKL, a survivor, and Austrian Federal President Dr. Alexander VAN DER BELLEN. The Festival of Joy will be inaugurated by MKÖ Chairman Willi MERNYI.

Over the past ten years, numerous in-person visitors and online guests from Austria and abroad participating in the Festival of Joy have sent out a strong message in terms of ensuring a dignified commemoration on May 8 as liberation day.

Commemoration ceremony

held by students of the secondary trade school Vöcklabruck.

Wreath-laying at the memorial

"Rücksichten-Ansichten-Einsichten" (engl. considerations-perspectives-insights)

Geh!Denk!Feier! (commemoration) -  by students of the Adalbert-Stifter practical middle school for the former concentration camp Linz II.

Commemoration ceremony at the site of the former satellite camp Floridsdorf

The event starts at the commemorative plaque at Hopfengasse and ends at the memorial stone at the Floridsdorf district museum.

Commemoration ceremony at the memorial for the victims of National Socialism

Commemoration of those the Nazi era persecuted in the Oberes Drautal. With a memorial speech by writer Antonio FIAN and a scenic reading by students of HLW Spittal/Drau.

Commemoration ceremony at the Peace Memorial

Author Sabine SCHOLL will be the keynote speaker at the commemoration ceremony. With her books "Lebendiges Erinnern" (2021) and "Die im Licht, die im Schatten" (2022) the author has championed a contemporary culture of remembrance.

Annual commemoration ceremony at the "Memorial of Names" in Villach

Welcome address: Alexandra SCHMIDT, greeting by mayor Günther ALBEL, speaker: Simone SCHÖNETT (author and winner of the 2022 Culture Award of the City of Villach)

16th March for Life

Meet at: 09:45, March for Life via the alpine chalets to the memorial.

Liberation ceremony at the site of the former satellite camp Schloss Lind

The ceremony will feature a concert by Harri Stojka: "Acoustic Drive Trio" and a speech by Heimo HALBRAINER from the Clio editing house.

Discussion with contemporary witness Ernst Grube

Topic: Living from memory for the present. Culture of remembrance after Auschwitz - alive, current, resistant

Liberation ceremony at the site of the former satellite camp Loibl-Nord

The commemoration ceremony follows the tradition of trying to anchor this long "forgotten" satellite camp in Carinthia’s and Austria’s cultural memory. As organiser, Mauthausen Committee Carinthia/Koroška feels a moral duty towards the victims of Loiblpass concentration camps, to tell the story of their suffering and dying, but also to preserve their story of courageous resistance and survival with honour. Memorial speech: diocesan bishop Dr. Josef MARKETZ. Representing contemporary witnesses: Ernst GRUBE, president of the Dachau camp community. Representing youths: Students of WiMo Klagenfurt.There will be musical accompaniment for the event.

Commemoration ceremony at the site of former Bretstein satellite camp

Welcome: Stefan STRADNER (chairperson), Grete GRUBER (vice chairperson), and representatives of the association Lila Winkel.
Memorial speech: Irmgard GRISS

Commemorative March

Guided theme hike as a "search for clues" around the Böndlsee in Goldegg-Weng.

Commemorative service

Church service in the chapel in remembrance of the murder of civilians at the austrian-italian border by the National Socialists.

"Summer 1944 – Trails of Remembrance"

Commemorative hike to the memorial chapel on Promoser Alm/Malga di Promosio (Italy) and further to Timau on the occasion of the upcoming anniversary of the massacre among the civilian population on the Italian Carnian alps. At the end of the hike, a bus or cab will take participants back to the starting point.

Event organised by the association Erinnern Gailtal and the Austrian Alpine Club.
Important: long hike with a significant number of meters of altitude to cover and therefore requiring suitable equipment and a certain level of fitness.

Do not forget to bring a valid travel document!

Commemoration ceremony at the site of the former satellite camp Dipoldsau

Registration

Commemoration ceremony for the victims of St. Pantaleon-Weyer camp

with wreath-laying.

Registration

Commemoration ceremony for the victims of Nazi euthanasia at Hartheim palace

Registration

Commemoration ceremony at the site of the former satellite camp Ternberg

in remembrance of the victims of National Socialism. The memorial hall is open to visitors starting 5:00 p.m.

Registration

Vernissage of the exhibition "Menschenbilder" (engl. "Human Images")

Commemoration ceremony for the victims for a free Austria

The memorial ceremony will be held in remembrance of the victims of the National Socialist reign of terror in Carinthia.

Registration

Silent remembrance

Registration

All Saints-Day commemoration ceremony

Registration

All-Saints requiem

Registration

Film screening

of "Irene Harand – ihr Kampf gegen Hitler" (engl."Irene Harand - her fight against Hitler") and talk with the director Andreas GRUBER

Registration

Commemoration ceremony

Rally and wreath-laying in front of the Roma and Sinti memorial in Lackenbach in memory of the Roma and Sinti murdered by the National Socialists.
On November 23, 1940, the Lackenbach camp, which the National Socialists called a "gypsy camp," was established in a former manor farm. Of the total of 4,000 Roma and Sinti interned at the Lackenbach camp, 2,000 were deported to the Lodz/Litzmannstadt ghetto in the fall of 1941 and murdered. Only 300 to 400 prisoners survived to be liberated by Soviet troops in April 1945.

Registration

Commemoration ceremony to mark the end of the year

Registration

Remembrance at the Maria-Cesär-Park commemorative plaque

for the Nazi victims of the death march of Hungarian Jews, those murdered in the Liebenau camp and the nameless dead who were hastily buried at Grünanger. The women in the camp who had to undergo forced abortions and cruel experimental surgery at the Graz Women's Clinic will likewise be remembered.

Registration