Vigil Held in Austria for Lives Lost

Kyt · Mar 14, 2008

I am uncertain as to which victims they are talking about

Candelight Vigil Held in Austria for Lives Lost in WW2

Reuters reports that eighty thousand flames burn to remember eighty thousand lives lost when Nazis invaded Austria.

The silent candlelight vigil was to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of the Nazi German takeover.

Many people came to put to rest this horrible part of history.

"It's a really important issue, especially for us young people who think of it as if it happened in a remote past, although it's been only 70 years since then. The way we live now shouldn't be taken for granted, we have to remember what happened and those who died," said Andrea Schwindner, Vienna resident.

Organizers projected the name of every known victim on a screen in the giant Heldenplatz - or heroes square - where seven decades ago hundreds of thousands gathered to hear Hitler announce the inclusion of his homeland into the "Third Reich."

"As you know, it's easy to abuse the enthusiasm of young people and Hitler knew that very well and that's what he did," said Renate Duchkovitsch, Vienna resident who was there when Hitler spoke. She was just fourteen years old.

The vigil is supposed to continue through the night.
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The ITN report states that it includes 65,000 Jews:

ITN - Austria marks Anschluss anniversary

A vigil has been held in Austria in remembrance of the victims of Hitler's Nazi regime.

It was the climax of a week of events marking the "Anschluss", or annexation, of Austria by Nazi Germany.

The ceremony was held in Heldenplatz (Heroes' Square) - the same place where celebrations greeted Hitler's takeover 70 years ago.

Each candle symbolised one of the estimated 80,000 Austrians, including 65,000 Jews, killed by the Nazis.

The anniversary has revived debate about the extent to which Austrians were victims of Nazism or willing accomplices.

Most Austrians now agree they were also deeply complicit in the Nazi machinery of war and genocide after decades of denial.

But a poll this week showed 60 per cent are weary of talk about the Nazi past and want an end to it after six decades of democracy.
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Seventy years after Anschluss, Austrians urged not to bury their past - Haaretz - Israel News

Anschluss - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Vigil Held in Austria for Lives Lost

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