A memorial campaign on the Heldenplatz shows life-size portraits and quotes from concentration camps from 5 to May 9, 2025 as well as excerpts from Mauthausen. The exhibition is reminiscent of 80 years of liberation from National Socialism and sets a sign of never again and peace in Europe. The campaign invites you to perceive the voices of the survivors in public space and make it visible.
In order to underline the special importance of the heroic place as a central place of commemoration and the joy of liberation from the National Socialist terrorist rule, the Mauthausen Committee Austria organizes a symbolic memorial campaign on Vienna Heldenplatz from 5 to 9 May 2025. Photos of concentration camps in life as well as their quotations are reminiscent of the atrocities of the Nazi era and warn at the same time to keep the legacy of the survivors for the present and future. Excerpts from the Mauthausen Schwur will also be shown in different languages. One of the survivors who can be seen in the exhibition is Mark Olsky, one of the three so -called “Mauthausen Babies”. He will also be present personally at the opening date of the exhibition.
“We are grateful that we could make the heroic place on May 8th a place of a ‘never’ and that official Austria celebrates the liberation and the end of the Second World War. It is all the more important, especially now, 80 years later, not to forget what this day stands for,” said Willi Mernyi, chairman of Mauthausen Committee.
Supported by the Israelite Culture Community of Vienna, the Memorial Service and the Documentation Archives of the Austrian Resistance and the Initiative now set signs, the memorial campaign deliberately reminds of the events 80 years ago and spans an arc in the present.
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the liberation from National Socialism, the Mauthausen Committee Austria on May 8, 2025 also organizes the festival of joy in the Vienna Heldenplatz – this year’s focus is: “For a never again and peace in Europe”. Especially at a time when basic democratic values are under pressure and war is reality in Europe again, the festival of joy wants to set a clear sign of peace, freedom and democracy.
Opening of the memorial exhibition “80 years of liberation from National Socialism – for never again and peace in Europe”
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the exemption from National Socialism, the Mauthausen Committee Austria, together with its partner organizations, memorial service, documentation archive of the Austrian resistance, now invites the initiative to set signal and the Israelite cultural community of Vienna, to open the memorial campaign at Vienna Heldenplatz. From 5 to May 9, 2025, a symbolic exhibition with life-size portraits and quotations from concentration camp survivors and extracts from the Mauthausen oath will be shown in various languages at Heldenplatz. At the opening date on May 5, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at Wiener Heldenplatz, the following interlocutors are available: • Mark Olsky, concentration camp survivor and one of the three “Mauthausen Babies” • Willi Mernyi, Chairman Mauthausen Committee Austria, Managing Director Mauthausen Committee Austria • Andreas Kraneblitter, scientific director Documentation archive of the Austrian Resistance • Oskar German, President of Israelite Culture Vienna • Sara Stroj, Managing Director Association Memorial Service • Niki Kunrath, initiative now Sign Registration at info@mko.at
Datum: 05.05.2025, 10:00 a.m.
Art: Press and
Ort: Heroic