Image: manfred-scheucher.at
30,000 people became victims of the Nazi dictatorship in Hartheim Castle. 18,000 psychiatric patients and disabled people as well as 12,000 concentration camp prisoners unable to work and other forced laborers were murdered in alcoves between May 1940 and December 1944.
Many guests of honor, including relatives and descendants of victims, and diplomatic representatives gathered in Hartheim on Sunday, October 1st to commemorate the victims. After the welcome by the chairwoman of the Hartheim Castle Association, Brigitte Kepplinger, Governor Thomas Stelzer (VP) spoke words of remembrance: “We are united by the awareness that we must be particularly vigilant against any form of disregard for human dignity.”
Volker Schönwiese gave the speech at the memorial service. He has been an activist in the Self-Determined Living movement since the 1970s. In his speech, Schönwiese asked “how memorial culture can become actively meaningful beyond the reassuring ‘never again’.” He also pointed out that the situation of people with disabilities still needs improvement. There is still a lot to be done in implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which came into force in Austria 15 years ago.
Following the speech, prayers were said at the victims’ cemetery by representatives of the Catholic and Protestant Churches as well as the Israelite Community and wreaths were laid by diplomatic representatives and organizations.
My themes
For your saved topics were
new articles found.
info By clicking on the icon you can add the keyword to your topics.
info
By clicking on the icon you open your “my topics” page. They have of 15 keywords saved and would have to remove keywords.
info By clicking on the icon you can remove the keyword from your topics.
Add the topic to your topics.
Source: Nachrichten
