Statement and Position of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp Memorial

Background information

‘Thank you to the staff for swiftly trying to handle the situation.’ It is with these words that the visitor herself describes the actions taken by the staff at the Mauthausen Memorial in the caption of the video she posted.

An incident occurred during a visit by around 600 participants from an international anti-fascist youth camp. One participant was wearing a T-shirt with the slogan ‘Free Palestine’. Our staff had not noticed this whilst supervising the large group. Nor was it initially possible to make sense of the vociferous reaction from one female visitor.

Once it became clear what the issue was, our staff reacted immediately. They tried to de-escalate the situation and, at the same time, called the police for assistance. However, the situation had already been brought under control by the time the police arrived.

Our employees acted in accordance with the principles outlined below and did everything within their power to resolve the situation as best as possible.

Position and statement from the Mauthausen Memorial

A memorial is a place of remembrance, commemoration and historical-political education. We treat all visitors with openness and respect their right to freedom of expression and the diversity of opinions, provided that these remain within the bounds of the law, do not promote anti-Semitic, racist or generally discriminatory views, and do not undermine the dignity of the victims.

When dealing with provocations that do not constitute criminal offences, we adhere to the following principles:

• De-escalation as a top priority: safeguarding the dignity of the site itself and the safety of everyone present at the memorial are our primary concerns. We respond to provocations in a level-headed, calm and de-escalating manner in order to avoid emotional escalation.
• Discussion before accusation: We prioritise open dialogue over hasty judgements. If clothing causes irritation, we seek to engage in a factual discussion in order to understand the background and actively fulfil the memorial site’s educational mandate.
• Ensuring diversity of opinion: Tolerance is particularly evident in how we deal with difficult or uncomfortable messages. As long as no legal or ethical boundaries are crossed, there remains scope for discourse and reflection.
• Focus on the historical context: We encourage people to use controversies constructively as an opportunity to discuss the significance of symbols, history and social responsibility.

Concentration camp memorial sites in general, and the Mauthausen Memorial in particular, also serve as a backdrop for contemporary political conflicts. In the spirit of reflecting on the significance of the past for the present, this is also desirable at such sites and is in line with the principles of historical-political education. Currently, there is an increasing number of situations where political matters are associated with these sites, matters which are diametrically opposed to one another. The history and dignity of this place demand that such conflicts be resolved objectively and with mutual empathy. Provocative behaviour by other visitors is not welcome, and the memorial reserves the right to issue warnings in such cases.

In this situation, we would have liked to see an open and respectful dialogue between all those involved. As a memorial, we see it as our duty to create spaces for historical reflection and respectful discussion, particularly when different perspectives come into conflict.