Official start of plans to develop the Gusen Memorial

Vienna, 8.3.2022 – On this date, Federal Minister of the Interior Gerhard Karner and Director of the Mauthausen Memorial Barbara Glück announced the official start of plans to develop the Gusen Memorial. This follows the conclusion of the purchase by the Republic of Austria of further substantial plots of land on the site of the former Gusen concentration camp.

Significant structural remains of the Gusen concentration camp, including the roll call area, the rock crusher and two SS administration buildings, are located on these newly-acquired plots of land.

In order to expand the existing Gusen Memorial in include these new sites, the Mauthausen Memorial is launching a participation process, which will involve stakeholders at regional, national and international level. The aim is to develop a framework concept that takes into account the wishes and needs of survivors and their relatives alongside those of local residents. This is particularly important in the case of the Gusen Memorial, notably because it is entwined with the housing estate built later on the site of the former concentration camp.

The first steps are already underway: As of now, the vegetation covering the former roll call area is being cleared to make this site accessible with the support of the Austrian Armed Forces. At a regional launch event, Director Barbara Glück and the mayor of the Municipality of Langenstein, Christian Aufreiter, are presenting further plans to the general public.

The official boards of the Mauthausen Memorial, in which all victim groups, victim nations and important national and international stakeholders are represented, will be kept up to date on forthcoming developments.

The content development process will involve national and international experts. The aim is to combine current research findings with the requirements of contemporary education work and memorial culture.

The Mauthausen Memorial is committed to transparent communication and all steps will be made public to ensure ongoing discussion and exchange of ideas.

The Gusen concentration camp was established in December 1939. By the time it was liberated in May 1945, 71,000 prisoners from nearly 30 nations had been imprisoned there. Over half did not survive imprisonment in the camp.