We woke up to a beautiful sunny day with blue skies, a great morning for our three-hour boat cruise down the Danube River. It took us awhile to coordinate boat and bus schedules but we did it and it was nice to be relaxing on the boat, enjoying the Danube River. We arrived down river, in Durnstein, about 1 p.m. We had parked our car in Durnstein so we were able to get on the road right away. We ate cheese and fruit in the car while driving towards the Mauthausen Memorial, a couple hours away. However, we came to detour within miles of the memorial that took us another forty-five minutes to navigate…but we made it to the camp in time to walk around before closing. By now clouds were forming and it felt they were setting the mood.
Mauthausen Memorial is the site of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp, which began as a work camp in 1938 and stayed in operation until the end of the war in 1945.
The choice of location for Mauthausen (and many satellite camps near by) was primarily the proximity of granite quarries.
From the brochure: “Mauthausen and Gusen (a satellite camp) were for some time the only category III camps with the harshest conditions of confinement within the concentration camp system and one of the highest death rates in all concentration camps in the German Reich.”
“The majority of inmates succumbed through mistreatment by being ruthlessly worked to death, while at the same time receiving scant food rations, clothing and medical treatment.”
“The “Stairs of Death”, which were rebuilt in 1942, were the scene of many deaths, particularly of the inmates from the punishment detail. Inmate commandos were forced to carry heavy granite blocks up the stairs from the quarry to the camp.” Many couldn’t make it and were shot.
It was very sobering to walk around this place that holds such sadness…such violence…such hatred.
“Not to be forgotten” is the hope of opening these camp memorials to the public. This memorial was free of charge to take away any hindrances of visiting.
In one walled area of the camp, where people are buried, we stood at the gate to take a look. Interestingly, there was a large rabbit inside at the opposite end of the gate. The rabbit couldn’t find his way out. He kept hopping back and forth along the back wall and every once in a while he tried to jump over the tall (8’?) stonewall. It was sad and I thought in some way it was a representation of what had gone on in this camp years ago…people trapped in this horrible space, desperate to get out.
I’m grateful for the chance to see this camp and to remember and honor all the innocent people who were killed there.
Devastating to see those steps and to know what was asked of the people who laboured there. As we talked about once, Valerie, it is hard to imagine how those working in that camp could shoot someone for being too exhausted to work. What can be in your heart for you to do that?
I am so grateful that Austria understands and supports the “not to be forgotten” idea. We must always remember the sobering truth of what happens when we forget that we are all the same.
Thanks for sharing this with all of us. Now, I too, have a better understanding, in my heart, of why we must never allow that kind of thinking to grow. Sobering indeed.
Yes, not to be forgotten…in this crazy world.
How difficult to visit this place. But how important to remember.
Yes, it was difficult but very important to us to get to see this place while we were in Austria.