Gedenkdienst Purpose Holocaust remembrance Foundation 1992 Website https://gedenkdienst.at/
Gedenkdienst is a concept in Austria aimed at young people to face and take responsibility for the darkest chapters of the country's history while being financially supported by Austrian government.
Founded in Austria in 1992 by Andreas Maislinger, the Gedenkdienst is an alternative to Austria's compulsory national military service as well as a volunteering platform for Austrians to work in Holocaust and Jewish culture-related institutions around the world with governmental financial support.
The Austrian Gedenkdienst seeks to serve the remembrance of the crimes of Nazism, commemorates its victims and supports Jewish cultural future. The program is rooted in the acknowledgment of responsibility by the Austrian government for the crimes committed by the Nazis.
History
Origin
The historian, political scientist and scientific director of the Braunau Contemporary History Days Andreas Maislinger promoted the idea of an alternative to the compulsory military service dedicated to the research, understanding and remembrance of the Holocaust as well as the commemoration of its victims since the late 1970s.
In 1991 Austrian chancellor Franz Vranitzky was the first chancellor of Austria to admit to and acknowledge the Austrian people's share of responsibility for the crimes committed by National Socialism during WWII. The new approach rejected the then established myth of Austria merely being the first victim of Nazism. This signaled a new approach within the Austrian political establishment regarding its stance and treatment of Austria's and Austrians' roles during the time of National Socialism.
Following these events, the Austrian government committed to funding the Gedenkdienst, with the first Austrian Holocaust Memorial Servant starting services in 1992.
After amendments to Austrian law in 2014, women or men who are not required to perform civilian service have also been able to perform memorial service and receive the same state funding since 2014. Moreover, a new amendment, which came into force in September 2023, increased the financial resources for those performing memorial service and opened up the possibility of continuing memorial service in Austria in the event of disasters such as the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, there is now a centralised record of completed memorial service.
Acknowledgment
Supporting associations
Association Never Forget from 1994 to 2017 The association provided positions in 19 memorial sites in Germany and Poland. The association "Never Forget" took an active part in youth work against forgetting. The association stopped operations and became defunct in 2017.
Austrian Service Abroad since 1998 (Österreichischer Auslandsdienst)
Andreas Hörtnagl and Andreas Maislinger founded the organization "Austrian Service Abroad" in 1998.
The organization is the largest in Austria and sends Auslandsdiener to six continents of the world to accomplish Holocaust commemoration work, social services and peace services. The Austrian Service Abroad is characterized by offering three types of service: the Gedenkdienst, the Austrian Social Service and the Austrian Peace Service. In May 2023, Maislinger stepped down as chairman after public criticism for alleged abuse of power.
The Gedenkdienst since 1992
The Gedenkdienst association was founded in 1992 by Walter Guggenberger (SPÖ), Andreas Hörtnagl (ÖVP) and Andreas Maislinger (non-party) to raise awareness about the Holocaust, its causes and consequences. In 2008, female volunteers were supported for the first time by the newly created Geschwister Mezei Fund. This was set up with the aim of offering women the opportunity to perform memorial service under the same conditions as those doing alternative civilian service. This was made possible for all sponsoring organisations with the amendment to the Volunteer Act in 2014. This organisation received the Leon Zelman Prize in 2013.
In addition to its volunteer activities, the Gedenkdienst also offers events and projects in the field of historical and political education.
Partner organizations
+CountryCitySiteBuenos AiresAsociación Filantrópica Israelita (AFI) – Hogar Adolfo Hirsch (San Miguel)MelbourneJewish Holocaust Museum and Research CentreBrüsselCegeSoma - Centre d'Ètude Guerre et SociéteEuropean Union of Jewish StudentsSão PauloJüdisches Museum von São PauloPetrópolisCasa Stefan ZweigShanghaiCenter of Jewish StudiesAugsburgJüdisches Museum Augsburg SchwabenBerchtesgadenDokumentation ObersalzbergBerlinAnne Frank ZentrumGedenkstätte Deutscher WiderstandJüdisches Museum BerlinStiftung Neue Synagoge BerlinFürstenberg/HavelMahn- und Gedenkstätte RavensbrückMünchenJüdisches Museum MünchenOranienburgGedenkstätte SachsenhausenWolfenbüttelStiftung niedersächsische Gedenkstätten - Gedenkstätte in der JVA WolfenbüttelEstoniaTallinnVabamu Museum of Occupations and FreedomOradour-sur-GlaneCentre de la Mémoire d'OradourParisAmicale de MauthausenBibliothèque et archives d'alliance Israélite UniverselleFondation pour la Mémoire de la DéportationAthenJewish Museum of GreeceChaniaEtz Hayyim SynagogueAkkonGhetto Fighter's House MuseumJerusalemLeo Baeck InstitutYad VashemTel AvivAnitta Müller-Cohen ElternheimThe Liebling Haus - White City CenterWiener Library for the Study of the Nazi Era and the Holocaust - Elias Sourasky Central LibraryZikaron BaSalonMailandCentro Di Documentazione Ebraica ContemporaneaMarzabottoScuola Di Pace Di Monte SolePratoMuseo della DeportazionePredappioComune di PredappioRomFondazione Museo della ShoahJüdisches Museum RomTriestJüdische Gemeinde TriestJapanTokioTokyo Holocaust Education and Resource CenterMontrealHolocaust Education and Genocide Prevention FoundationMontreal Holocaust MuseumTorontoThe Azrieli FoundationToronto Holocaust MuseumVancouverThe Vancouver Holocaust CentreCroatiaJasenovacJasenovac Memorial SiteRigaMuseum „Juden in Lettland"Museum of the Occupation of LatviaŽanis Lipke MemorialLithuaniaVilniusVilna Gaon Museum of Jewish HistoryMauritiusSenneville Riviere des AnguillesIsland Hebrew Congregation Senneville Riviere des AnguillesNew ZealandWellingtonHolocaust Centre of New ZealandAmsterdamAnne Frank StichtingVerzetsmuseumStiftung Jüdisch Historisches Museum - Jewish Cultural QuarterKrakauGalicia Jewish MuseumLublinKZ-Gedenkstätte MajdanekOświęcimAuschwitz Jewish CenterMuseum Auschwitz-BirkenauWarschauMuseum der Geschichte der polnischen JudenPortugalPortoHolocaust Museum of OportoRomaniaNusfalauHolocaust Museum in NordtransilvanienMoskauJewish Museum and Tolerance CenterRussisches Forschungs- und Bildungszentrum „Holocaust"BelgradVerband der jüdischen Gemeinden Serbiens – Jüdisches historisches MuseumStockholmSchwedisches HolocaustmuseumUppsalaThe Uppsala Programme for Holocaust and Genocide StudiesSwitzerlandZürichHugo Mendel StiftungSingaporeSingapurThe Jews of Singapore MuseumLaibachNationalmuseum der ZeitgeschichteSouth AfricaDurbanDurban Holocaust & Genocide Education CentreKapstadtCape Town Holocaust & Genocide CentreJohannesburgJohannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Education CentreTaiwanTaipehJeffrey D. Schwartz & Na Tang Jewish Taiwan Cultural AssociationPragInstitut Theresienstädter InitiativeJüdische Gemeinde PragTheresienstadtJugendbegegnungsstätte TheresienstadtBudapestJewish Community Center BudapestTom Lantos InstitutDallasAckerman Center for Holocaust StudiesLos AngelesLos Angeles Museum of the HolocaustSimon Wiesenthal CenterUSC Shoah Foundation for Visual History and EducationNew YorkAmerican Jewish CommitteeAristides de Sousa Mendes FoundationLeo Baeck InstituteMuseum of Jewish HeritageRichmond Virginia Holocaust MuseumWashington, D.C.Capital Jewish MuseumUnited States Holocaust Memorial MuseumUnited KingdomLondonNightingale Hammerson - Hammerson HouseNightingale Hammerson - Nightingale HouseJewish Care - Holocaust Survivors' CenterJW3 Jewish Community Centre Holocaust Memorial Day TrustThe Wiener Library for the Study of the Holocaust & Genocide
See also Andreas Maislinger Stefan Stoev Austrian Peace Service Austrian Service Abroad Austrian Social Service House of Responsibility Paper Clips Project
References
External links Austrian Service Abroad