Youth, Innovation and Civil Courage: Hans Maršálek Awards

Mauthausen Committee press release 08.06.2018

Winning projects of the Hans Maršálek Awards were honored on 7 June 2018 in Palais Epstein in Vienna. For the second time, Mauthausen Committee Austria (MKÖ) and the Austrian Association of Mauthausen Survivors (ÖLM) bestowed the Hans Maršálek Awards in memory of this concentration camp survivor and eyewitness.

"Hans Maršálek dedicated his life to researching and documenting the history of concentration camp Mauthausen and its satellite camps," emphasizes the head of ÖLM Dr. Irmgard Aschbauer, "and he never tired of warning of the dangers of nationalism, racism, discrimination and intolerance." The Awards honor projects that continue Maršálek’s life work.

"The winning projects that were honored include successful work on memorials and consciousness building. These projects reflect the work of initiatives in the network of Mauthausen Committee Austria. The projects involve youth, innovation and civil courage, which were important to Hans Maršálek", says MKÖ head Willi Mernyi.

Twenty two domestic and foreign projects had been submitted. From this field, a jury process selected the following winners:

First place: "Researching and remembering: sites of Nazi crimes in the final phase of WWII in today’s Burgenland", by RE.F.U.G.I.U.S., the Rechnitz Refugee and Memorial Initiative (www.refugius.at)
Second place: "zum: verGehen-erinnern" (on, by Catholic Youth of Upper Austria, Region Ennstal
Third place: „das ANDERE heimatmuseum: kunst und gedenken-gedenk/kunst" (a different kind of museum of local history: art and memorial art), Lind Palace in Styria (http://www.schlosslind.at)
Honorary award: "Charlotte Taitl: a few steps toward death", by Gymnasium Ried/Innkreis

The award ceremony was enriched by the words of der Deputy National Assembly Speaker Doris Bures, former Austrian President Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heinz Fischer, Bishop em. Dr. h.c. Maximilian Aichern, MKÖ Chairman Willi Mernyi, CIM President Guy Dockendorf, Helmut Edelmayr (MKÖ founding member and jury head), and MKÖ Executive Secretary Christa Bauer, and by pianist Paul Gulda. Mauthausen Committee Austria is especially grateful to Doris Bures for the joint conducting of the second Hans Maršálek Awards.