Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08VIENNA383
2008-03-14 13:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:
Austria Confronts its Nazi Past
how-toVZCZCXRO5185 RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV DE RUEHVI #0383/01 0741302 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 141302Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9788 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 000383
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/AGS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM AU
SUBJECT: Austria Confronts its Nazi Past
Summary
-------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 000383
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/AGS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM AU
SUBJECT: Austria Confronts its Nazi Past
Summary
--------------
1. The Austrian government, media, and cultural institutions, as
well as the general public, commemorated the 70th anniversary of
Austria's "Anschluss" with Nazi Germany on March 12, 1938 with
various events, ranging from a special session of parliament to a
"night of silence" on Vienna's Heldenplatz square. At its March 12
cabinet meeting, the government also decided on the establishment of
a Wiesenthal Institute for Holocaust Studies. The Jewish Community
chose March 11 for the opening of the Hakoah sports center. End
Summary.
Parliament Ceremony
--------------
2. At a special session of both houses of parliament on March 12,
President Fischer, Chancellor Gusenbauer, Vice-Chancellor Molterer
and Parliamentary President Prammer stressed the co-responsibility
of Austrians for National Socialist crimes. The GOA representatives
referred to the roots of the "Anschluss" in the fights between
Christian-conservatives and Socialists in the 1920s and 30s. They
concluded that cooperation and "bridge-building" of democratic
forces was essential in preventing catastrophes such as the
Anschluss.
3. Drawing analogies to the current tensions between Austria's
coalition parties, the speakers urged SPO and OVP leaders to
overcome their mutual distrust and suspiciousness. Before the
special session, the SPO and OVP had each held separate events to
commemorate the Anschluss.
Wiesenthal Center
--------------
4. The government also used the occasion of the Anschluss
anniversary to approve the establishment of a Wiesenthal Center for
Holocaust Studies in Vienna. As a result of lengthy negotiations,
the Federal Government will, together with the City of Vienna,
finance the center to preserve the legacy of Simon Wiesenthal. The
center is to go into operation in 2011 to archive and analyze the
thousands of files left behind by Wiesenthal.
"Night of Silence"
--------------
5. Youth and senior citizen organizations, the Catholic Church, and
the organizers of the project "A Letter to the Stars," held a vigil
overnight March 12-13 on Vienna's Heldenplatz square in the course
of which 80,000 candles were lit to commemorate the Austrian victims
of the National Socialist Regime. The names of the 80,000 victims
were also displayed on big screens. Heldenplatz was the site where
some 250,000 Austrians cheered Hitler's arrival on March 12, 1938.
"A Letter to the Stars" will continue the Anschluss anniversary
commemoration events in May, when 250 Austrian schools will host 250
now-emigrant Austrian Holocaust survivors as speakers.
Hakoah
--------------
6. The Jewish Community (IKG) used the anniversary to open the
Hakoah sports center, the sitre of which had been restored to it in
accordance with the 2001 U.S.-Austrian Washington Agreement on
Holocaust Property. Hakoah, founded in 1909 as a Jewish
institution, was "aryanized" in 1938. After 1945, the sports club
was re-opened as a Jewish facility, but did not regain its original
premises. In accordance with the Washington Agreement, the original
premises have now been restored;" additionally, the Federal and the
City of Vienna government provided financial support for the
construction of the new facility. The site will also host a Jewish
school and old-age home. At the opening ceremony, IKG President
Ariel Muzicant noted that the Hakoah community center will be the
largest such facility in Europe.
Other Events
--------------
7. In addition to the GOA ceremonies commemorating the anniversary,
there were numerous other events, including speeches, panel
discussions and special exhibitions. The Anschluss has also been
the dominant topic in the Austrian media in March: Public television
and radio are airing series of programs on the Anschluss, ranging
from documentaries to movies and TV debates. Universities, theaters
and opera houses are also staging special events and performances on
the topic of the Anschluss.
Polls
--------------
8. Polls indicate Austrians have become more self-critical regarding
the country's National Socialist past. Twenty years ago, 48 percent
considered Austria the first victim of the Hitler regime, while only
25 percent believed Austria shared responsibility for Nazi crimes.
VIENNA 00000383 002 OF 002
In a 2008 survey, 48 percent acknowledged Austria's shared
responsibility, while the "first-victim" theory was only supported
by one third of Austrians.
9. In this context, the statement by Otto Habsburg at the OVP's
Anschluss commemoration event March 10 received wide attention.
Habsburg said that, "no state in Europe is more entitled to call
itself a victim of Nazi Germany than Austria." While Habsburg
referred to the extensive efforts of the Austrian regime in 1938 to
prevent the Anschluss, his statement was heavily criticized as
reflecting the opinion of those who deny Austria's shared
responsibility for National Socialist crimes. At the OVP event, OVP
parliamentary floor leader Wolfgang Schuessel corrected Habsburg's
comments by stressing that, "Austrians were also perpetrators" in
the National Socialist era.
Comment
--------------
10. The controversy surrounding the late Austrian President
Waldheim in the 1980s forced Austria to openly confront its Nazi
past and led to a transformation of the country's historical
conscience. Previously, Austria primarily considered itself the
"first victim" of Hitler's Germany. This image was bolstered by
language in the 1943 Moscow Declaration by the Allied Powers, which
was referred to in the Austrian declaration of independence in 1945.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, GOA officials began to
acknowledge the shared responsibility of Austrians in National
Socialist crimes. History education in schools also abandoned the
"first-victim" myth and now focuses on the fact that Austrians were
both victims and perpetrators under National Socialism. The
Anschluss anniversary events this week reflect this self-critical
confrontation of Austria's National Socialist past, and the
country's matured national memory. KILNER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/AGS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM AU
SUBJECT: Austria Confronts its Nazi Past
Summary
--------------
1. The Austrian government, media, and cultural institutions, as
well as the general public, commemorated the 70th anniversary of
Austria's "Anschluss" with Nazi Germany on March 12, 1938 with
various events, ranging from a special session of parliament to a
"night of silence" on Vienna's Heldenplatz square. At its March 12
cabinet meeting, the government also decided on the establishment of
a Wiesenthal Institute for Holocaust Studies. The Jewish Community
chose March 11 for the opening of the Hakoah sports center. End
Summary.
Parliament Ceremony
--------------
2. At a special session of both houses of parliament on March 12,
President Fischer, Chancellor Gusenbauer, Vice-Chancellor Molterer
and Parliamentary President Prammer stressed the co-responsibility
of Austrians for National Socialist crimes. The GOA representatives
referred to the roots of the "Anschluss" in the fights between
Christian-conservatives and Socialists in the 1920s and 30s. They
concluded that cooperation and "bridge-building" of democratic
forces was essential in preventing catastrophes such as the
Anschluss.
3. Drawing analogies to the current tensions between Austria's
coalition parties, the speakers urged SPO and OVP leaders to
overcome their mutual distrust and suspiciousness. Before the
special session, the SPO and OVP had each held separate events to
commemorate the Anschluss.
Wiesenthal Center
--------------
4. The government also used the occasion of the Anschluss
anniversary to approve the establishment of a Wiesenthal Center for
Holocaust Studies in Vienna. As a result of lengthy negotiations,
the Federal Government will, together with the City of Vienna,
finance the center to preserve the legacy of Simon Wiesenthal. The
center is to go into operation in 2011 to archive and analyze the
thousands of files left behind by Wiesenthal.
"Night of Silence"
--------------
5. Youth and senior citizen organizations, the Catholic Church, and
the organizers of the project "A Letter to the Stars," held a vigil
overnight March 12-13 on Vienna's Heldenplatz square in the course
of which 80,000 candles were lit to commemorate the Austrian victims
of the National Socialist Regime. The names of the 80,000 victims
were also displayed on big screens. Heldenplatz was the site where
some 250,000 Austrians cheered Hitler's arrival on March 12, 1938.
"A Letter to the Stars" will continue the Anschluss anniversary
commemoration events in May, when 250 Austrian schools will host 250
now-emigrant Austrian Holocaust survivors as speakers.
Hakoah
--------------
6. The Jewish Community (IKG) used the anniversary to open the
Hakoah sports center, the sitre of which had been restored to it in
accordance with the 2001 U.S.-Austrian Washington Agreement on
Holocaust Property. Hakoah, founded in 1909 as a Jewish
institution, was "aryanized" in 1938. After 1945, the sports club
was re-opened as a Jewish facility, but did not regain its original
premises. In accordance with the Washington Agreement, the original
premises have now been restored;" additionally, the Federal and the
City of Vienna government provided financial support for the
construction of the new facility. The site will also host a Jewish
school and old-age home. At the opening ceremony, IKG President
Ariel Muzicant noted that the Hakoah community center will be the
largest such facility in Europe.
Other Events
--------------
7. In addition to the GOA ceremonies commemorating the anniversary,
there were numerous other events, including speeches, panel
discussions and special exhibitions. The Anschluss has also been
the dominant topic in the Austrian media in March: Public television
and radio are airing series of programs on the Anschluss, ranging
from documentaries to movies and TV debates. Universities, theaters
and opera houses are also staging special events and performances on
the topic of the Anschluss.
Polls
--------------
8. Polls indicate Austrians have become more self-critical regarding
the country's National Socialist past. Twenty years ago, 48 percent
considered Austria the first victim of the Hitler regime, while only
25 percent believed Austria shared responsibility for Nazi crimes.
VIENNA 00000383 002 OF 002
In a 2008 survey, 48 percent acknowledged Austria's shared
responsibility, while the "first-victim" theory was only supported
by one third of Austrians.
9. In this context, the statement by Otto Habsburg at the OVP's
Anschluss commemoration event March 10 received wide attention.
Habsburg said that, "no state in Europe is more entitled to call
itself a victim of Nazi Germany than Austria." While Habsburg
referred to the extensive efforts of the Austrian regime in 1938 to
prevent the Anschluss, his statement was heavily criticized as
reflecting the opinion of those who deny Austria's shared
responsibility for National Socialist crimes. At the OVP event, OVP
parliamentary floor leader Wolfgang Schuessel corrected Habsburg's
comments by stressing that, "Austrians were also perpetrators" in
the National Socialist era.
Comment
--------------
10. The controversy surrounding the late Austrian President
Waldheim in the 1980s forced Austria to openly confront its Nazi
past and led to a transformation of the country's historical
conscience. Previously, Austria primarily considered itself the
"first victim" of Hitler's Germany. This image was bolstered by
language in the 1943 Moscow Declaration by the Allied Powers, which
was referred to in the Austrian declaration of independence in 1945.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, GOA officials began to
acknowledge the shared responsibility of Austrians in National
Socialist crimes. History education in schools also abandoned the
"first-victim" myth and now focuses on the fact that Austrians were
both victims and perpetrators under National Socialism. The
Anschluss anniversary events this week reflect this self-critical
confrontation of Austria's National Socialist past, and the
country's matured national memory. KILNER