80 years since the end of the war

“Mühlviertel Hare Hunt”: a cruel manhunt

The Mauthausen Concentration Camp Memorial today(Bild: Wolfgang Spitzbart)

The commemorative program at the former Mauthausen concentration camp this year marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War. The program begins with a reminder of the brutal "Mühlviertel Hare Hunt", a manhunt shortly before liberation. The well-known light installation #eachnamematters is brought to Vienna.

On February 2, 1945, a tragic event took place in the Mauthausen concentration camp that went down in history as the "Mühlviertel Hare Hunt".

Around 500 prisoners, who were imprisoned in the notorious Block 20, managed to escape from the camp. Many collapsed shortly afterwards due to weakness or died in a hail of bullets from the guards. In addition, an unbelievable hunt began in which civilians were also involved. According to the Mauthausen Memorial, only eleven people are thought to have survived.

The US military leadership wanted to document the liberation of the camps in detail. Therefore, the arrival in Mauthausen - presumably on May 7, 1945 - is being re-enacted. The liberated prisoners cheer the arrival of the soldiers a second time.(Bild: Donald R. Ornitz, U.S. Signal Corps)

Commemoration with celebrities and a contemporary witness
The local initiative "perspektive mauthausen" is organizing several events to mark the 80th anniversary of the event. On February 1, Michael Köhlmeier, Katharina Stemberger, Gregor Seberg, Tonfabrik & Christian Buchinger are organizing a commemorative event in the Donausaal Mauthausen.

On February 2, a memorial walk is scheduled from 1 pm. This will be followed by a panel discussion at the Ried/Riedmark Music School with, among others, contemporary witness Anna Hackl: the parents of the old farmer from Schwertberg hid two concentration camp inmates and saved their lives.

On the façade of the Vienna Hofburg
The commemoration of the end of the war dominates the annual program in Mauthausen: in addition to numerous memorial walks and themed tours, the traditional concentration camp liberation celebrations in Mauthausen and in the various former subcamps also mark the 80th anniversary of liberation.

The light and sound installation #eachnamematters, which has been on display at the memorial in Gusen in recent years, will be brought to Vienna this year: from May 3 to 5, the 84,000 known names of people who died in the concentration camp will be projected onto the façade of the Hofburg.