About this page
After the invasion of the German Wehrmacht on the night of March 11, 1938 to March 12, 1938, many Austrians were persecuted or actively resisted National Socialism. Persecution by the new rulers could range from simple dismissal at work to imprisonment in a concentration camp or murder.
Resistance to this inhumane system ranged from loosely organized groups to groups with a very high degree of organization. Unfortunately, it took the often-cited “spirit of the camp road” in what were probably the darkest places in recent history to overcome the antagonisms of the 1920s and 1930s. After liberation in 1945, Austria was rebuilt in this spirit and led to prosperity and democracy.
Now that the last contemporary witnesses are slowly making their way towards a better and more beautiful life, it is all the more important to remember those who were victims or who could not look away. They should be a shining example to us that freedom, democracy and humanity cannot be taken for granted and must be defended and protected anew every day.
This website was created as a cooperation between Modern Society and the Association of Catholics in Resistance Monument Builders and various other organizations. The aim is to commemorate those who were prepared to go to extremes for their faith, for their fellow human beings and for Austria's freedom. Their conviction should be a source of strength and an example for us to stand up for freedom, democracy, humanity and Austria every day. One of the most important cooperation partners for this site is the Documentation Center of Austrian Resistance (DÖW).
The idea of creating a virtual memorial to resistance fighters and victims by means of a digital memorial stone is unique to date. The idea of the well-known physical Stumbling blocks ("Stolpersteine"), which can be found in many cities as a sign of remembrance and are based on an idea by Gunter Demnig, has been recreated in a digital form. On a map on Gedenkort.at, reference points in the lives of individual people are marked, such as their place of residence or place of work, honors or club memberships, concentration camps or execution sites.
Here, victims and resistance fighters from different areas are to be remembered virtually.
They should show us that freedom, democracy and humanity are the highest good.
Markus Kroiher
Vienna, May 2024