Program Commemoration ceremonies

Reading on the Occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day

A reading from the research project Forbidden Relationships: Female Homosexuality in Nazi Austria by Natascha BOBROWSKY.

Drawing on court records of accused women, Bobrowsky's research explores the previously under-studied topic of female homosexuality in Nazi Austria.

Commemorative Ceremony in Suetschach in Memory of Matija Verdik-Tomaž and His Comrades
Spominska svečanost v Svečah v spomin na narodnega heroja Matijo Verdnika-Tomaža in tovariše

At the cemetery in Suetschach / Sveče (Carinthia), eleven fallen fighters of the Liberation Front who are buried here are honored. Among them are Matija Verdnik-Tomaž, a key figure in the resistance in the Rosental Valley, the brothers Aleksander and Ivan Čero, other partisans, activists, and three unknown individuals.

The rock monument and the large gravesite commemorate their courage and sacrifice in the fight against National Socialism. 
The memorial service also highlights the significance of Slovenian resistance in Carinthia. The event sends a message against forgetting and stands for freedom, democracy, and the enduring values of the anti-fascist struggle.
 

Na pokopališču v Svečah/Suetschach se spominjamo enajstih padlih borcev in aktivistov Osvobodilne fronte, ki so tukaj pokopani. Med njimi je narodni heroj Matija Verdnik-Tomaž, ključna osebnost odporniškega gibanja v Rožu, pa tudi brata Aleksander in Ivan Čero ter drugi partizani, aktivisti in trije neznani padli.

Impozanten kamniti spomenik in velika grobnica pričata o njihovem pogumu in žrtvi v boju proti nacizmu. Zveza koroških partizanov vsako leto na prvo nedeljo v februarju vabi na spominsko slovesnost, s katero poudarja pomen slovenskega odporništva na Koroškem. Prireditev je znak proti pozabi in poziv k zavzemanju za svobodo, demokracijo in vrednote protifašističnega boja.

Commemoration Ceremony for the Victims of the "Mühlviertler Menschenhatz" (Mühlviertel Manhunt)

After more than 500 Soviet prisoners of war attempted to escape from the Mauthausen concentration camp, a search-and-murder campaign ensued, involving widespread participation from the civilian population. Only 11 people survived the "Mühlviertel Manhunt". 
In memory of the numerous victims murdered during this Nazi campaign, we come together at the memorial in Wartberg ob der Aist.

Commemoration Ceremony at the Peace Memorial

During the "Mühlviertel Manhunt" in 1945, children and young people were mobilized alongside elderly and disabled men to track down and kill escapees from the Mauthausen concentration camp.
Today, we remember these events together: a culture of remembrance was bravely developed and should continue to be carried forward with courage. In Gallneukirchen, the February Commemoration honors the victims of this search-and-murder campaign, co-organized by youth groups through word collages, discussions, and musical performances.

Speaker: Martin KRANZL-GREINECKER

"There Was No Other Choice...” - Commemoration Ceremony in Memory of the "Mühlviertel Manhunt"

After more than 500 Soviet prisoners of war attempted to escape from the Mauthausen concentration camp, a search-and-murder campaign ensued, involving widespread participation from the civilian population. Only 11 people survived the "Mühlviertel Manhunt".
#In memory of this event, a musical and literary evening will be held, featuring a reading by Klaus Maria BRANDAUER and musical accompaniment by Maria Magdalena WIESMAIER. 

Advance tickets are available at: Sparkasse, Raiffeisenbank, Mauthausen municipal office and the parish office, as well as by email at kartenreservierung@perspektive-mauthausen.at

16th Political Ash Wednesday – Reading and Discussion with Daniel WISSER

The reading and discussion with Daniel WISSER (Smart City, 2025) will focus on democracy and the future of our societies.
This event provides an exchange of ideas on artificial intelligence, (anti-) social media, and right-wing extremist conspiracy theories.
The evening will will conclude with a traditional herring feast.

48th Winter Hike in Memory of the Partisans Who Fell in February 1945 at Arichwand / Arihova Peč
48. Zimski pohod Arihova peč v spomin borcem pod Arihovo pečjo, padlim februarja 1945

This winter hike commemorates the eight partisans who sought refuge in a cave at Arichwand in February 1945 and were killed by SS units as a result of betrayal. Their names are inscribed on the memorial at St. Jakober Cemetery, honoring their courage in the anti-fascist resistance.

Meeting Point: 46.53851244715701, 14.008970258404455

Ta zimski pohod spominja na osem partizank in partizanov, ki so februarja 1945 poiskali zatočišče v jami pod Arihovo pečjo ter bili po izdaji umorjeni s strani enot SS. Njihova imena so zapisana na spomeniku na šentjakobskem pokopališču in opominjajo na njihov pogum v protifašističnem odporu.
Od leta 1979 Slovensko planinsko društvo Celovec, Slovenska športna zveza in Slovensko prosvetno društvo »Rož« vsako prvo nedeljo v marcu vabijo na spominski pohod – kot znamenje spomina ter zavzemanja za svobodo in človeško dostojanstvo.

Reading: Rethinking Remembrance

Susanne SIEGERT advocates a pluralistic approach to remembrance that emphazises the responsibility of the descendants of the perpetrator generation, as well as lesser-known sites and victim groups of Nazi crimes. SIEGERT (@keine.erinnerungskultur - Instagram, TikTok) has won prestigious awards for her innovative anti-fascist work in the digital realm. She will read from her book Rethinking Remembrance: How Our Memory of the Holocaust Must Change.

Maria HOFSTÄTTER reads Marie JAHODA - „Ich sprach mit Leidenschaft …“ (I spoke with passion)

In the text read by Maria HOFSTÄTTER, Marie JAHODA reflects about her Jewish heritage, her relationship with her daughter, her life as a resistance fighter against the Dollfuß-Schuschnigg regime, her arrest and exile to England in 1937, and her career as a critical social researcher in the USA and England.

Music: Inga LYNCH - singer-songwriter, accompanied by guitar and vocals

Commemoration Ceremony for All Victims of the "Southeast Wall" Construction

The construction of the so-called "Southeast Wall" claimed countless victims, even in the final months of the war. In the Rechnitz massacre on 24 March 1945, around 200 Hungarian-Jewish forced laborers were murdered and buried.
The victims are honored through speeches, prayers, and a wreath-laying ceremony. 

Speakers: Paul GULDA & representatives of the Jewish communities of Szombathely, Zalaegerszeg, and Vienna
Music: Bogdan LAKETIC

Memorial Trip to Engerau

In December 1944, a camp for Hungarian Jews was established in Engerau (Bratislava-Petržalka). Approximately 2,000 forced laborers were subjected to brutal labor during the construction of the so-called Southeast Wall. Many died from hunger, cold, and abuse, or were murdered by Viennese SA men or political officials. More than At the end of March 1945, more than 100 men lost their lives during the death march from Engerau to Bad Deutsch-Altenburg.

The memorial trip will visit the Petržalka cemetery, the Leberfinger memorial plaque, the Wolfsthal memorial stone, the Hainburg memorial stele, and the cemetery and spa gardens in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, concluding  at 6 p.m.

Speaker: Claudia KURETSIDIS-HAIDER

Participation fee: € 20.- (free for school pupils, students, and job seekers)

Registration at: https://www.doew.at/termine/gedenkfahrt-nach-engerau-2026

Commemoration Ceremony at the Site of the Former Hinterbrühl Satellite Camp and Way of the Cross

In 1944, an underground armaments factory was built in what is now the Seegrotte exhibition mine in Hinterbrühl (Lower Austria) to escape bombing. More than 600 prisoners were forced to perform grueling labor in the factory. In 1989, a concentration camp memorial was erected.
Along the  erected crosses, the events of Hinterbrühl are commemorated at several stations as part of a Way of the Cross devotion. The program of the ceremony is co-designed by young people. 

Speaker: Elmar PITTERLE

Memorial Walk

Approximately 1,400 people were interned at the Peggau satellite camp near Graz, where they were forced to perform grueling labor in tunnel construction. The harsh working conditions claimed a particularly high number of lives. Near the Protestant Peace Church in Peggau, where visitors are invited to pay their respects, runs the path that concentration camp prisoners were forced to walk every day.
Visitors walk part of the memorial trail together, and the procession stops at several stations to commemorate the Nazi era bthrough readings of historical texts.

Commemoration Ceremony in Memory of Franc Pasterk-Lenart and All Victims Buried at the Cemetery in Eisenkappel / Železna Kapla
Spominska svečanost ob obletnici smrti narodnega heroja Franca pasterka-Lenarta v spomin na žrtve, ki so pokopane v Železni Kapli

The cemetery in Bad Eisenkappel / Železna Kapla serves as a place of remembrance for the courageous resistance against National Socialism. It is the final resting place of 154 victims, including partisans, supporters, and civilians who fought for freedom and justice. The central memorial and numerous graves bear witness to the resistance in this region. Figures such as Franc Pasterk-Lenart and Peter Kuchar symbolize the courage and sacrifice of those who fought against Nazi fascism here. Their stories remind us of the importance of standing up for democracy and human rights.

Pokopališče v Železni Kapli/Bad Eisenkappel je kraj spomina na pogumen odpor proti nacizmu. Tukaj počiva 154 žrtev, med njimi partizanke in partizani, podpornice in podporniki ter civilisti, ki so se borili za svobodo in pravičnost. Osrednji spomenik in številna grobišča pripovedujejo zgodbo odpora v tej regiji. Osebnosti, kot sta Franc Pasterk-Lenart in Peter Kuchar, simbolizirajo pogum in žrtvovanje ljudi, ki so se tukaj borili proti nacifašizmu. Njihove zgodbe nas opominjajo, da se zavzemamo za demokracijo in človekove pravice.

MEMORIAL WALK 2026: The Murdered and Surviving Victims of the Death Marches

In Enns, approximately 2,000 forced laborers were employed, primarily to build fortifications and bunkers. In addition to the victims of the death marches, at least 87 people lost their lives and were buried in the staircase leading up to the Lorcher Basilica (St. Laurenz). Stones and a memorial now commemorate those who were murdered and later exhumed. 

Author and speaker Jack HERSCH, son of survivor David Hersch, invites you to join in the commemoration.

Commemoration Ceremony for the Victims of the St. Aegyd Satellite Camp

The St. Aegyd am Neuwalde satellite concentration camp (November 1944 - March 1945) was constructed by approximately 500 concentration camp prisoners, at least 46 of whom died due to the extremely harsh living conditions and the inflicted by Nazi guards.
Following a presentation on the annual theme of "Perpetrators", prepared by young people, the traditional silent march to the St. Aegyd concentration camp memorial site will take place.

Reading from Schattenschweigen

Elisabeth REICHART will read from her book Schattenschweigen (Silent Shadows) in the ballroom of the LMS Großraming. The author became known for her debut novel Februarschatten (Shadows of February) about the "Mühlviertler Menschenhatz" (Mühlviertel Manhunt) and her dissertation on the resistance in the Salzkammergut.

Volksschule Ansfelden School Commemoration Ceremony

What happened at the Kremsbrücke (Krems Bridge) 81 years ago? At the Kremsbrücke in Ansfelden, students commemorate those who were murdered during the death marches of Jews from Mauthausen to Gunskirchen.

MEMORIAL WALK 2026: Perpetrators

The Memorial Walk 2026 focusses on the annual theme of "Perpetrators" and invites participants to a memorial service for the Jews murdered during the death marches at the "Kremsbrücke" (Krems Bridge) near Gasthaus Stockinger.

Memorial Walk / Spominska Hoja for the Victims of National Socialist Justice in Klagenfurt

This event commemorates the victims of Gestapo oppression  and Nazi injustice. The focus is on two historical sites: the castle courtyard, which served as a Gestapo prison during the Nazi era, and the Klagenfurt Regional Court, closely linked to the persecution and conviction of resistance fighters.

Na tej prireditvi se spominjamo žrtev Gestapa in nacističnega krivičnega sodstva. V ospredju sta dva zgodovinska kraja: grajsko dvorišče, ki je v času nacizma služilo kot zapor Gestapa, ter Deželno sodišče v Celovcu, ki je tesno povezano s pregonom in obsodbami borcev odpora.

Commemoration Ceremony and Tour of the Memorial Stone in Hofamt Priel

In the final days of World War II, from 2 to 3 May 1945, 228 Hungarian Jewish forced laborers were murdered by an SS commando in Hofamt Priel, Lower Austria. The victims of the massacre - including many women and children - had been interned in a transit camp and were on their death march to the Mauthausen concentration camp. This atrocity was one of the largest crimes committed during the final phase of the war.

“What Makes Someone a Perpetrator?” – Vigil of the Catholic Austrian Student Association Riegersburg (MKV)

The monuments in Fürstenfeld's City and Memorial Park commemorate the victims of the Nazi regime - those persecuted and murdered for political reasons, due to a disability, or for so-called “racial” reasons.
At the vigil, young people read historical examples that demonstrate how easily one can move from being a witness to an accomplice, and ultimately to a perpetrator.

Speaker: Gerald L. GUSCHLBAUER

Commemoration Ceremony at the Site of the Former Redl-Zipf Satellite Camp

From 1943 to 1945, components of the V2 rocket were manufactured in the tunnels of the brewery in Zipf. At least 267 concentration camp prisoners died as a result of this forced labor.
The memorial service will take place in the parish church, featuring contributions from students of the Neukirchen Secondary School and musical accompaniment of Timelkam Secondary School. This will be followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the concentration camp memorial next to the church.

Commemoration Ceremony at the Memorial on Town Hall Square

marking the Memorial Day Against Violence and Racism – in memory of the victims of the Nazi reign of terror.

The joint commemoration of resistance to violence and racism at the memorial on Town Hall Square in Gleisdorf is intended to commemorate the victims of the death marches, primarily Hungarian Jews, in April 1945, who were forced to pass through the towns of Gleisdorf and Nitscha.

Commemoration on the Day of Liberation of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp

On the 81st anniversary of the liberation, we invite you to visit the Mauthausen Memorial. Together, we aim to send a message of solidarity and foster encounters on this day. 

Three free guided tours of the site will be offered:  
•    Memories of Mauthausen: An overview tour based on eyewitness accounts (Speaker: Teres STOCKINGER - Mauthausen Memorial)
•    Mauthausen, immediately afterwards: What do you actually do with a liberated concentration camp? (Speaker: René BIENERT - Mauthausen Memorial)
•    Insights into the new temporary exhibition "Things Tell Stories". Archaeology at Concentration Camp Memorials (Speaker: Claudia THEUNE - University of Vienna)

Liberation Ceremony at the Site of the Former Lenzing Satellite Camp

In 1944, approximately 600 women were transferred to the Lenzing satellite concentration camp to perform forced labor at the Lenzing cellulose production facility. Most were Jewish, with more than half coming from Hungary. Inadequate nutrition and grueling labor quickly led to severe physical deterioration. Additionally, the women were forced to handle toxic chemicals in the factory without any protection.
The satellite camp was liberated on 4 May 1945.

Speaker: Christine HAIDEN.

Commemoration Ceremony for the Victims of National Socialism at the "Fremdvölkisches Kinderheim" (Orphanage for Children of Foreign Ethnicity)

The so-called "Fremdvölkisches Kinderheim" in Spital am Pyhrn was founded in 1942 as the first of several institutions in the German Reich designed to "keep the people pure-blooded". Pregnant "foreign" forced laborers were not to "contaminate the natiion with racially inferior offspring". Approximately 100,000 children were killed, either through abortion or neglect after birth.

Commemoration Ceremony at the Site of the Former St. Valentin Satellite Camp

The concentration camp memorial was established in memory of the approximately 1,500 people who were interned in the St. Valentin satellite camp to construct tanks at the Nibelungenwerke factory. The program of the memorial service will be organized by young people around on the annual theme of "Perpetrators". The ceremony will include a wreath-laying and musical accompaniment. 

Speakers: Gregor SEBERG, Peter BÖSENDORFER 

The exhibition “Codename: Spielwarenfabrik” (Codename: Toy Factory) located in the post office annex (Westbahnstraße 27, St. Valentin) is open until 8 November 2026.

Commemoration Ceremony at the Memorial for the Victims of National Socialism

in memory of the victims of war and National Socialism in Braunau

Speaker: Karl Markus GAUSS

Commemoration Ceremony at the Site of the Former Ebensee Satellite Camp

From 1943 onwards, a total of 27,000 people were interned in Ebensee. The death rate was extremely high due to the grueling forced labor in tunnel construction. 
The “Löwengang” (Lions Gate) connected the Ebensee satellite camp with the underground tunnel systems, through which concentration camp prisoners were escorted to their workplaces. 
Together, visitors walk the rocky “paths of remembrance” along the Ebensee "Löwengang".

Festival of Joy

The Mauthausen Committee Austria (MKÖ) is organizing the Festival of Joy for the fourteenth time in memory of the victims and to celebrate the joy of liberation from the Nazi reign of terror. This year, the Festival of Joy is dedicated to the main theme, 'Perpetrators'.

The highlight of the Festival of Joy will be a speech by a contemporary witness. The program will be enriched by a musical contribution from the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. More information at www.festderfreude.at.

Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Memorial

Liberation Ceremony at the Site of the Former Gunskirchen Satellite Camp and Opening of the Memorial site

The Gunskirchen satellite  camp was one of the most brutal in the Mauthausen concentration camp system. Due to minimal supplies and appalling conditions, prisoners were left to die there in the final weeks of the Nazi regime. The  camp was liberated on 5 May 1945.

The liberation ceremony will be led by students from MS Gunskirchen, who will focus on the theme of  "Perpetrators".
As part of the ceremony, the newly designed memorial site at the location of the former satellite camp and the virtual tour will be presented and officially opened.

Speakers: Cornelius OBONYA - actor; György FRISCH - representative of Hungarian Jews; Willy MERNYI - chairman of the Mauthausen Committee Austria

Commemoration Ceremony at the Monument to All Partisans Who Fell in Austria
Proslava ob spomeniku vseh padlih partizanov v Avstriji, Centralno pokopališče na Dunaju

To commemorate liberation from National Socialism, the ceremony will take place at the monument to Yugoslav partisans in the Central Cemetery. Together, we will thank the liberators and resistance fighters, celebrate Liberation Day, and honor the partisans' contributions. 

Ob spominu na osvoboditev izpod nacizma Klub slovenskih študentk in študentov na Dunaju (KSŠŠD) in Zveza taboriščnikov – KZ-Verband Dunaj 8. maja vabita na slovesnost pri spomeniku jugoslovanskim partizankam in partizanom na osrednjem pokopališču. Skupaj se želimo zahvaliti osvoboditeljem in borkam ter borcem odpora, obeležiti dan osvoboditve in poudariti prispevek partizanskega gibanja.

“Wege” (Paths) – Walk! Think! Celebrate! at the Site of the Former Linz II Satellite Concentration Camp

Between 1944 and 1945, approximately 285 people were interned in the Linz II satellite concentration camp, forced to work on the dangerous construction of air-raid shelters beneath the city of Linz.

At the joint memorial service, young people will present contributions they created while studying the Nazi era

Commemoration ceremony in Vöcklabruck

In June 1941, approximately 300 prisoners, mainly Spanish Republicans, were brought to the Vöcklabruck Wagrain satellite  camp. The concentration camp prisoners were assigned to road construction, cleanup work under the supervision of civilians, bridge construction, work on the construction of a water pipeline, and work in a gravel pit in Attnang-Puchheim. The satellite camp was closed in May 1942.

As part of the commemoration ceremony, a satellite camp stele will be unveiled at the site of the former satellite camp.

Commemoration Ceremony at the Site of the Former Floridsdorf Satellite Camp

A total of 2,737 people were interned in the Vienna-Floridsdorf camp complex, forced to work in the production of aircraft parts, submarine batteries, and components for the V2 rocket. Approximately 80 of the prisoners were murdered there. Most came from Poland or the Soviet Union.

The Commemoration Ceremony, with the participation of young people from Vienna vocational schools, will take place around the memorial stone at the Vienna-Floridsdorf District Museum under the motto “Never forget!”

Call for a Memorial
Manifestacija za spomenik in opomin

This event at the WerkStattMuseum in Klagenfurt will publicly call for the establishment of a central memorial in Carinthia / Koroška, designed to boht highlight the crimes committed by Carinthian Nazis and honor the regions's resistance.
In light of growing interest in anti-fascist remembrance culture, the strong engagement of young people, and emerging initiatives against historical revisionism, this serves a clear call to visibly integrate remembrance in Carinthia / Koroška into the broader European heritage of anti-fascist resistance.

Na tej prireditvi se javno izraža zahteva po postavitvi osrednjega spomenika na Koroškem/Kärnten, ki naj jasno pokaže storilstvo koroških nacistov ter hkrati počasti odpor na Koroškem/Kärnten in v celotnem alpsko-jadranskem prostoru. Pobudo WerkStattMuseuma podpira vrsta organizacij in zavzetih posameznic ter posameznikov, ki želijo poslati jasno sporočilo proti potvarjanju zgodovine in pozabi.
Glede na vse večje zanimanje za protifašistično spominsko kulturo, močno angažiranost mladih in nove pobude proti revizionizmu, je manifestacija jasen poziv, da se spomin v Koroški vidno vključi v evropsko dediščino protifašističnega odpora.

Commemoration Ceremony at the Peace Memorial

As part of the commemoration ceremony, young people will stage a performance depicting how a fascist environment can lead to ethically reprehensible and immoral behavior - both in the past and today. The peace memorial is intended to serve as a place of reflection and renewal, commemorating the “Mühlviertel Manhunt” and the broader atrocities of war. 

Speaker: Alois BIRKLBAUER

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Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Concentration Camp Memorial at Attnang-Puchheim Train Station

From April 1944 onwards, prisoners from the Ebensee satellite camp were deployed to various forced labor sites in the Attnang-Puchheim area. Many were abused, tortured, and murdered by SS guards.

A wreath is laid at the memorial to honor and remember the concentration camp prisoners who were murdered.

Liberation Ceremony at the Site of the Former Schloss Lind (Lind Castle) Satellite Camp

The smallest Mauthausen satellite camp, yet no less brutal, Schloss Lind in St. Marein (Styria), is remembered as a place where forced laborers were made to work in agriculture and forestry.
The 2026 liberation ceremony will honor Esther Bejarano (1924–2021), who survived Auschwitz after being recruited into the girls' orchestra there as an accordionist, despite never having played the instrument before.

Internationally acclaimed video artist Candice BREITZ presents an artistic exploration of Esther Bejarano's life story.
Film screening: “Dear Esther", Candice BREITZ.
Followed by a conversation with the artist and the artistic director of Steirischer Herbst, Ekaterina DEGOT, and a cello concert by Asja Valcic.

19th March of Life in Memory of the 250 Hungarian Jews Who Died in 1945

In memory of the 250 Hungarian Jewish victims who were shot and beaten to death during the 1945 death march and buried in a mass grave, the 19th March of Life across the Präbichl will take place, featuring active participation by young people and musical accompaniment.

Commemoration Ceremony at the Memorial

in memory of the 250 Hungarian Jews who died in 1945

Commemoration Ceremony at the Site of the Former Dipoldsau Satellite Camp

Prisoners from the Dipoldsau satellite concentration camp were forced to work on the construction of the Großraming power plant, the elevation of the Eisenstraße, the builing of a railway station, and in the Großraming marble quarry. At least 20 concentration camp prisoners, whose names are known, were murdered, but the actual number is likely much higher. 

International Commemoration Ceremony at the Site of the Former Loibl-North Satellite Camp

Due to construction work on the Loibl Tunnel, around 1,800 people, mainly from France, were interned at the Loibl Pass satellite camp. The dangerous forced labor claimed numerous victims, who are commemorated during the memorial ceremony.
The event is part of ongoing efforts to anchor the Mauthausen satellite camps - many of which are in danger of being forgotten in the collective memory. The commemoration ceremony is intended to honor the memory of the suffering and death of the concentration camp victims of Loibl Pass, but also their courageous resistance and survival.

International Liberation Ceremony at the Site of the Former Loibl-South Satellite Camp

Commemoration Ceremony at the Site of the Former Bretstein Satellite Camp

The Bretstein satellite camp was established in 1941 as the first Mauthausen satellite camp for sheep and horse breeding. Between 80 and 170 concentration camp prisoners were also forced to perform grueling labor in road construction.
The memorial ceremony honors the concentration camp prisoners who were abused and murdered at the camp. 

Commemoration Ceremony for the Victims of  the St. Pantaleon-Weyer Camp

The Nazi camp at St. Pantaleon-Weyer initially served as a labor education camp and later as a so-called “gypsy detention camp". After the camp was closed in 1941, approximately 350 prisoners were included in the transport of 5,000 Austrian Sinti, Sintizze, Roma, and Romnja to Łódź / Litzmannstadt. This group included numerous children and women. None of those deported to Łódź ever returned.

Commemorative Gathering at Peršmanhof – In Memory of the Victims of the Peršman and Hojnik Families
Tovariško srečanje pri Peršmanu - spomnili se bomo Peršmanovih in Hojnikovih žrtev

A memorial service will be held at Peršmanhof to honor the victims of the Peršman massacre and the Hojnik family. The significance of the Carinthian Slovenes' resistance will also be recognizes. Together, participants will make a stand against forgetting and demonstrate a clear commitment to anti-fascism and justice.

Pri Peršmanu poteka spominska prireditev v spomin na žrtve Peršmanskega pokola in družino Hojnik. Zveza koroških partizanov in Društvo/Verein Peršman vabita k spominu na žrtve ter k počastitvi pomena odpora koroških Slovenk in Slovencev. V času, ko je kultura spominjanja pomembnejša kot kdaj koli prej, želi prireditev poslati jasno sporočilo proti pozabi ter za nedvoumno zavezanost protifašizmu in pravičnosti.

Goldegg Commemoration Days 2026 - Discussion: The Future of Democracy

The opening ceremony of the Goldegg Commemoration Days 2026 will be held at Goldegg Castle and will feature a discussion on the future of democracy, accompanied by musical performances.

Speakers: Michael KERBLER, Robert MENASSE.
Music: Duo Paul SCHUBERTH / Carles MUÑOZ CAMARERO
Further information: www.goldeggerdeserteure.at

Following the Trail of the Resistance – Memorial Walk Around the Böndlsee

As part of the Goldegg Commemoration Days 2026, Esche SCHÖRGHOFER will lead a commemorative hike to sites of resistance around Goldegg's Buchberg. Bertl MÜTTER will provide musical accompaniment durin the commemorative hike.

Commemoration of the Victims of 2 July 1944

During a nighttime search operation on 2 July 1944, an entire village was turned upside down in an attempt to capture seven deserters and opponents of the regime. Special recognition is given to the predominantly female helpers who hid these men and provided them with food, were arrested and tortured during this operation, and were later murdered in concentration camps. 

Speaker: Robert MENASSE
Music: Duo Paul SCHUBERTH / Carles MUÑOZ CAMARERO, Bertl MÜTTER
Host: Michael KERBLER

"Svobodni! Liberated! A Festival in Honour of Resistance / Praznujum upor"

The "Svobodni! Liberated!" festival at Cathedral Square in Kalgenfurt / Celovec combines culture, music, speeches, cuisine, and exchange to foster a diverse culture of remembrance of the resistance against the Nazi regime. The festival acknowledges the historical significance of Cathedral Square and situates the existing monument within a broader context. Numerous initiatives showcase their work and encourage dialogue. The festival sends a strong message in support of democracy, social justice, and against exclusion by linking historical resistance with contemporary civil society engagement.

Praznik „Svobodni! Befreit!“ na Stolniški ploščadi v Celovcu/Kalgenfurt povezuje kulturo, glasbo, govore, kulinariko in izmenjavo izkušenj ter spodbuja raznoliko kulturo spomina na odpor proti nacističnemu režimu. Obravnava zgodovinsko obremenitev Stolniške ploščadi in obstoječi spomenik postavi v širši kontekst. Številne iniciative predstavljajo svoje delo in vabijo k dialogu. Praznik je znak za demokracijo, socialno pravičnost in proti izključevanju, saj zgodovinski odpor povezuje z aktualnim državljanskim angažmajem.

Memorial Hike to Kömmel / Komelj

The commemorative hike to Kömmel/Komelj honors the twelve fallen partisans of the Domen Company, who were brutally murdered by SS troops on 12 October 1944, as well as Lipej Kolenik-Stanko, a resistance fighter and dedicated advocate for peace and democratic renewal in Austria. The route passes by the memorial sites of these events and keeps alive the memory of the resistance against National Socialism.

Spominski pohod na Komelj/Kömmel spominja na dvanajst padlih partizanov Domen-kompanije, ki so jih 12. oktobra 1944 brutalno umorile enote SS, ter na Lipeja Kolenika-Stanka, nekdanjega borca odpora in zavzetega zagovornika miru ter demokratične prenove Avstrije. Pot vodi do spominskih mest teh dogodkov in ohranja spomin na odpor proti nacizmu.

Memorial Hike: "Summer of 1944 – Walk of Remembrance"

On the occasion of the 82nd anniversary of the fascist massacre of civilians in the Italian Carnic Alps, we will hike to the memorial chapel at Promos Alm / C.ra Promosio and continue on to Timau.

For a long time, it was claimed that Italian partisans had committed atrocities on the neighboring Gailtal alpine pastures. Today we know that these were deliberately spread rumors, meant to justify the massacres carried out by fascists on alpine pasture workers - rumors that have persisted to this day. We aim to commemorate the victims through a cross-border hike.

Registration and further information: Hannes GUGGENBERGER, registration by phone at +43 660 3503271 and valid travel document required!

Hike to Obir
Pohod na Obir

The hike to Obir commemorates Hermann Velik and Valentin Polanšek, both of whom championed Carinthian Slovenian cultural life after the war. Polanšek depicted the resistance in his two-volume novel Schicksalsherbst der Brüder (The Brothers' Fateful Autumn), among other works.

Pohod na Obir spominja na Hermanna Velika in Valentina Polanška, ki sta se oba po vojni zavzemala za življenje koroških Slovencev v kulturi. Polanšek je odpor med drugim opisal v dvodelnem romanu *Schicksalsherbst der Brüder*.

Hike “On the Paths of Resistance in Memory of Johan, Gašper, Lenart, and Jelka”
Pohod  "Po poteh upora Johana, Gašperja, Lenarta in Jelke"

This commemorative hike passes through Lobnig / Lobnik to the remote mountain farms that actively supported the resistance, concluding at the Peršman Museum. All of the farms share a unique history of resistance, which is commemorated annualy with this hike. The namesakes - Karel Prušnik-Gašper, Franc Pasterk-Lenart, and Helena Kuchar-Jelka - were born here. This commemorative hike honors them and highlights the crucial role local support played in the success of the resistance.

Ta spominski pohod vodi skozi Lobnik/Lobnig do vseh odmaknjenih kmečkih gospodarstev, ki so aktivno podpirala odpor, vse do Muzeja Peršman. Vsa gospodarstva povezuje posebna zgodba odpora, na katero se vsako leto spomnimo s tem pohodom. Poimenovani spominski junaki Karel Prušnik-Gašper, Franc Pasterk-Lenart in Helena Kuchar-Jelka so se tu rodili. Spominski pohod se spominja prav teh oseb in poudarja tudi pomen podpore civilnega prebivalstva za uspeh odpora.

Commemoration Ceremony for the Victims of Nazi Euthanasia at Hartheim Castle

Between 1940 and 1944, around 30,000 people with physical or mental disabilities, as well as prisoners from the Mauthausen concentration camp system who were unable to work, were murdered at Hartheim Castle.
Together, we commemorate the victims of the Nazi regime in a wreath-laying ceremony. 

Speaker: Christine HAIDEN - journalist, author, President of the Upper Austrian Press Club

Commemoration Ceremony at the Site of the Former Ternberg Satellite Camp

Republican Spaniards were interned at the Ternberg satellite camp, where they were forced alongside prisoners of war and convicts to build the power plant and roads. In the parish barracks in Ternberg, a memorial room in the basement preserves the memory of the Nazi atrocities.

The commemoration will include a memorial speech, a creative contribution by young people, and a wreath-laying ceremony.

"Long Night of Museums" at the Peršman Museum

The museum at Peršmanhof is the only museum in Austria dedicated to the expulsion of Carinthian Slovenes and the partisan resistance. A section of the exhibition is also devoted to the massacre that occured at Peršmanhof in 1945. Detailed accounts of the events reveal the shocking inhumanity with which an entire family - including newborns and children - was murdered.

Muzej pri Peršmanu je v tej obliki edini muzej v Avstriji, ki se posveča izgonu koroških Slovencev in odporu partizanov. Poleg tega je del razstave namenjen pokolu, ki se je leta 1945 zgodil pri Peršmanu. Podrobna obravnava dogodkov razkriva pretresljivo nečlovečnost, s katero je bila tukaj ubita celotna družina, vključno z novorojenčki in otroki.

"Ston Hike"

The “Ston Hike” commemorates the partisan fighters who gave their lives in the resistance against fascism during World War II. The route passes by the memorial sites in St. Johann im Rosental / Šentjanž v Rožu and on Rabenberg/Rute, where monuments honor the fallen partisans and the priest Janez Hornböck, who was murdered in Dachau.
The hike is dedicated to partisan Bogdan Mohor-Ston, who organized the resistance in Rosental / Rož.

"Ston-pohod" spominja na partizanske borce, ki so med drugo svetovno vojno v odporu proti fašizmu v tem območju izgubili življenje. Pot vodi do spominskih mest v Šentjanžu/St. Johann v Rožu in na Ruti/Rabenberg, kjer spomeniki spominjajo na padle partizane in duhovnika Janeza Hornböcka, umorjenega v Dachauu.
Pohod je posvečen partizanu Bogdanu Mohorju-Stonu, ki je v Rožu organiziral odpor. Od leta 2015 poteka vsako leto drugo oktobrsko nedeljo in ohranja spomin na protifašistični boj ter žrtve nacističnega pregona.

Commemoration Ceremony for the Victims for a Free Austria
Spominska prireditev za državni praznik  vTrnji vasi

During the Nazi era, between 700 and 900 people were labeled “unworthy of life” and murdered at the so called Gaukrankenhaus Klagenfurt (hospital). A considerable number of graves belonging to people persecuted on the basis of hereditary biology can be found at the Central Cemetery in Klagenfurt. The mass graves in which they were buried were abandoned after the Nazi era; however, research in the death registers revealed the names of 139 victims. The memorial commemorates them as well as the numerous other victims of National Socialism.

Every year on the national holiday, a joint commemoration of the victims is held in honor of a free Austria.

Ta spominska prireditev poteka na osrednjem spominskem obeležju za vse žrtve nacizma v in iz Koroške / Kärnten. Spomenik, ki so ga postavile koroške protifašistične organizacije, počasti žrtve, seznam njihovih imen pa se na pobudo Memoriala Koroška/Kärnten nenehno dopolnjuje. Prireditev je opomin na preteklost in jasno znamenje proti pozabi.

March for peace for the victims of the Großraming Satellite Camp

The Großraming satellite concentration camp was part of the “Ennskraftwerkbau Community Camp", where a total of 1,800 people were interned from 1943 onwards. The harsh forced labor, poor provisions, and acts of violence committed by the SS cost countless lives.
The peace march on National Holiday 2026 will be a torchlight procession from the war memorial to the monument at the roundabout, where the torches will be extinguished, accompanied by music from a brass band.

Speaker: BM Günther GROSSAUER

Central Memorial Service for All Souls' Day in St. Veit im Jauntal / Šentvid v Podjuni
Osrednja spominska svečanost  ob dnevu mrtvih v Šentvidu v Podjuni

In the cemetery of St. Veit im Jauntal / Šentvid v Podjuni, a monument commemorates partisans Franc Hobel and Ignac Žolnir, their families, and their comrades who fell fighting against fascism. Another plaque honors Terezija Mičej and her daughter, who were executed in Graz / Gradec in 1945 for supporting partisans. In St. Primus / Šentprimož, there is also a memorial stone for Janez Wutte-Luc, born in 1918 in Vesielach / Vesele, a partisan and later a leading figure amongg the Carinthian Slovenes. He served as a chairman of the Partisan Association until 1997 and was awarded the Cross of Honor for the Liberation of Austria for his services, among other distinctions.

Na pokopališču v Šentvidu v Podjuni stoji spomenik padlim partizanom Francu Hobelu in Ignacu Žolnirju, ki sta padla v boju proti fašizmu. Franc Hobel, po domače Rojak, iz Pogrč pri Šentvidu, rojen leta 1914, je padel leta 1944 v Lobniku; Ignac Žolnir, rojen leta 1912 v Slovenj Gradcu, je bil član obveščevalnega centra Kokrškega odreda in je padel leta 1945. Iz družine Hobel so v vojni padli trije bratje – Franc, Feliks in Anton – kot partizani, medtem ko je bila sestra odpeljana v taborišče Ravensbrück. Od leta 2012 spominska plošča spominja na Terezijo Mičej in njeno hčer, ki sta bili zaradi pomoči partizanom 12. januarja 1945 usmrčeni v Gradcu; družina Ročičjak in drugi so vzdrževali stik z odporom v Ettendorfu (brez slovenskega imena). V Šentprimožu stoji spomenik Janezu Wutte-Lucu, rojenemu leta 1918 v Veselah, partizanu in kasnejšemu vodilnemu funkcionarju koroških Slovencev, ki je bil do leta 1997 predsednik Zveze koroških partizanov ter je med drugim prejel Častni križ za osvoboditev Avstrije.

Commemoration Ceremony at the Site of the Former Hinterbrühl Satellite Camp on All Saints Day

The approximately 800 prisoners of the Hinterbrühl satellite concentration camp came mainly from Poland, the Soviet Union, and Italy. In total, around 3,500 people were interned there. The death toll resulting from the harsh forced labor in the underground armaments factory is unknown.

As part of the memorial service, the events that took place at this site will be commemorated with short speeches and the naming of the known victims who died here. The service will be co-organized by young people.

Speeches: Elmar PITTERLE, Gabriele SATKE

Act of Remembrance for the Victims of the "Fremdvölkisches Kinderheim" at Etzelsdorf Castle (Orphanage for Children of Alien Ethnicity)

In the summer of 1944, the Nazi administration established a so-called “Fremdvölkisches Kinderheim” (foreign children's home) for the children of Slavic forced laborers at Etzelsdorf Castle in Pichl near Wels. By the end of 1946, approximately 39 infants had been housed in Pichl near Wels, at least 13 of whom died. The remaining children, who were barely viable, were abandoned at the Czech border after the war.
The ceremony is intended to commemorate the atrocities and suffering endured by the children interned there.

Commemoration Ceremony at the Turn of the Year at the Site of the Former Hinterbrühl Satellite Camp

In 1944, to escape Allied bombing, an underground armaments factory was built in what is now the Seegrotte exhibition mine in Hinterbrühl, where over 600 concentration camp prisoners were forced to perform grueling labor. As part of the silent commemoration, participants will have the opportunity to share their thoughts. The ceremony will include the participation of young people and will conclude with a prayer for peace. 

Speaker: Elmar PITTERLE