« Everything that has shaped Europe is in danger » – DiePresse.com

After the ceremony in the Federal Chancellery at noon, on Thursday evening at the 13th « Fest of the Joy » of the liberation of Austria was commemorated by National Socialism. Topic of the Mauthausen Committee Austria (MKÖ) Organized memorial event was « for a nitals and peace in Europe » this year. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, who could not personally participate this time, warned of the dangers of liberal democracies and pluralism by video message.

With the beginning of the second republic, Austria was based on so -called « western values ». The rule of law and liberal democracy were practiced for the foundations of society and tolerance and pluralism, Austria also set off, which was accessible 30 years ago in the accession to European Union flashed. « All of this that shaped the past 80 years and made Europe one of the safest and wealthiest regions in the world, all of this is in danger today, » warned the head of state with a view to the global and European threat situation.

Contemporary witness Lendvai advocates minority rights

However, it would be wrong to lose a sense of proportion in view of these challenges. « Because with that we would have thrown one of the principles of our open society overboard, » said van der Bellen. « Rather, I am convinced that we have to stand together and determined together – and possibly more clearly than before – for the values ​​that our country shaped after 1945: respect, peaceful coexistence, and of course also the culture of memory, as it shapes today at Vienna’s Heldenplatz. »

The 95-year-old publicist Paul Lendvai spoke as a contemporary witness this year. At the end of 1944 he was driven in the notorious death march towards Austria at the end of 1944 after the Hungarian Nazis was seized with tens of thousands of other Jews, but was able to flee through luck. After the suppression of the Hungarian uprising in 1957 by the Soviet army, he came to Vienna as a political refugee.

He used his contribution to a plea for human and minority rights. « The history of the path to World War II and the Holocaust teaches us that we all have to fight together, regardless of religion, descent and nationality (…) everywhere and in time, against xenophobia, racism and anti -Semitism, for our European values, for tolerance and humanity, for liberal democracy, and if necessary, fight. » He criticized neo -Nazi « so -called individual cases ». Newspapers or politicians who trivialized or concealed these incidents « have nothing to learn anything from history ». German -national struts are not partners in the fight against the extremes, but themselves “parts of evil”, according to Lendvai, alluding to National Council President Walter Rosenkranz (FPÖ), who was also criticized because of his membership in a fraternity.

Lendvai also condemned the « rampant hate campaign » against Israel « also under the guise of an anti -imperialist, anti -Zionist, left -wing ideology ». “But at the same time you have to expressly say that the indescribable terrorist acts of the Hamas And Islamist attacks are not a license for the senseless destruction of Gaza, for the oppression of the Palestinians and for attacks by the illegal settlers on the West Bank, ”emphasized Lendvai.

Celebration with « Mauthausen-Babys »

Oskar Deutsch, President of the Israelite Cultural Community (IKG), had previously described the anniversary on May 8 in a video message as a « reason for unreserved joy », because the Nazi regime had been defeated that the gas chambers had been turned off. However, the world was not freed from anti -Semitism and racism. In social media, worst hate messages are spread over Jews, even annihilation anti-Semitism continues to live in some cellars in Austria. However, this ideology is continued even more openly by Islamists such as the regime in Iran or the terrorist organizations Hamas and Islamic jihad, for example in the massacre of Jews from October 7, 2023.

« 80 years after the exemption of the extermination camps, we have to find that the ideology that led to Mauthausen, Auschwitz and the many other locations of the Shoah is not defeated, » emphasized German. « It is up to all of us – also to them – not to give up the fight against the ideologies of hatred – for a world in which every person, regardless of their religion, gender and sexual orientation can live in peace and dignity. »

The MKÖ chairwoman Willi Mernyi welcomed Hana Berger-Moran, Eva Clarke and Mark Olsky as special guests. All three were freed in Mauthausen as babies in May 1945, today they live in the United States and Great Britain. « A mother should never have to hide her pregnancy again. (APA)