Remembering: The Nazi Past in the Present

In 1945 the Allies liberated Austria and placed the country under Allied administration until 1955. For a long time, Austria presented itself as the “first victim” of Nazism. Nothing was said about the many Austrians who had supported the regime or had participated in Nazi crimes. Nazi ideas and former supporters of Nazism were part of what shaped the Second Republic. The voices of the actual victims of the Nazi regime went unheard for a long time, and in some cases the discrimination even continued.

Today, Austria’s share of the responsibility for Nazi crimes is no longer a matter of debate. But with the crises of recent years, far-right ideology is once again spreading in large sections of society. Here we show that addressing and engaging with the Nazi past is a continuous process where there is no closure. Every generation has new answers to key questions: What does it mean to remember Nazism? and What action does this prompt us to take in the present?