The victims of the concentration camp in Mauthausen are traditionally commemorated with an international liberation celebration at the memorial site, this year on May 11. But there will also be projects throughout Austria, announced the director of the memorial site, Barbara Glück, and Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) at a press conference on Thursday.

Commemorative Year 2025: Memorial Concert and Memorial and Encounter March

On May 5, 1945, a few days before the unconditional surrender of the German Wehrmacht, a reconnaissance troop of the US Army arrived in Gusen and Mauthausen. The next day, units of the US Army finally liberated the approximately 40,000 prisoners. This anniversary will be commemorated this year with a memorial concert. Prior to this, a new external camp stele will be unveiled. The aim is to erect such in all former external and subsidiary camps. From Mauthausen, a memorial and encounter march to Gunskirchen will remind people of those who were murdered in one of the smaller external camps.

Implementation of the Redesign in Gusen in the Second Half of the Year

"From the perspective of the Interior Ministry, one of the most important projects is the further development of the Gusen memorial site," said Karner. Unlike in Mauthausen, no memorial site was erected on the site of the former external camp, but residential complexes. The federal government bought significant parts of the area about three years ago, which was larger at the time of liberation than the camp in Mauthausen. The "realization competition" is currently underway, so that the implementation of the project can begin in the second half of the year, emphasized Karner. "In Gusen, we are not only dealing with camp history, but the crucial thing is 80 years of post-war history that we cannot ignore," said Glück.

Commemorative Year 2025: Light Installation "#eachnamematters" Makes Names of Victims Visible in Vienna

In the federal capital, the light installation "#eachnamematters" will be shown at different locations in Vienna. The known names of the dead from the Mauthausen concentration camp system will be projected onto different places of remembrance. "This will make the names of the victims visible for the first time in Vienna," emphasized Karner. The project "Liberation, Objects!" will also be represented throughout Austria. This was created in cooperation with several museums, archives, and libraries. 52 exhibits will tell the story of Mauthausen, Gusen, and the external camps in a virtual exhibition, in display cases in the institutions, and through a social media campaign. "Commemorating once a year is not enough, we commemorate 365 days a year. And we invite people to join us and participate in many projects," said Glück.

Consequences of FPÖ-led Government for Commemoration Open

The Israelite Cultural Community has sharply criticized in recent months that Walter Rosenkranz, a Freedom Party member and fraternity member, is at the head of the National Council. Thus, the IKG did not invite him to the official commemoration of the victims of the November pogroms. Both Glück and Karner evaded the question of what a blue-led federal government would mean for the commemoration in Mauthausen. "We will ask ourselves this question when the time comes," said the director of the memorial site. "I am here today in my capacity as the appointed Interior Minister. It is neither my task to speculate about anything, nor is it my task to talk about daily politics or any negotiation contents," said Karner.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article .