Sobotka: "We must prevent Jews from packing their bags again"

Der Standard, March 21, 2024
German original: https://www.derstandard.at/story/3000000212719/sobotka-muessen-verhindern-dass-juedinnen-und-juden-wieder-koffer-packen

The Antisemitism exhibition in Parliament has been reopened. National Council President Sobotka warns of a new climate of fear for Jews.

His grandfather was not just a follower. He was an SA leader. And an avowed National Socialist at a time when not many people professed this ideology. Coming to terms with his own family history was not easy at first, says National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP). But once the initial fear of confrontation has been overcome, it opens up the potential for liberating processes. "And the fight against Antisemitism is not the job of Jews," says Sobotka. "It is our task."

The Antisemitism exhibition in the parliamentary library, which was reopened on Tuesday, is intended to make a contribution to this. The exhibition has been on display since the reopening of the parliament building last year. However, the original design did not fulfill its purpose sufficiently, says the President of Parliament. Too text-heavy, too unwieldy, no longer up-to-date enough. It was therefore decided to revise the entire exhibition, make it more interactive and add digital elements such as screens and videos. This is intended to appeal more specifically to young people.

Cooperation with Yad Vashem

In the newly opened exhibition entitled "Tacheles reden. Antisemitism - A Danger to Democracy" also includes key events from recent history such as the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7 or the Antisemitic depictions at the Documenta 2022 in Kassel. However, Jewish life in Austria is now also being presented more intensively - and with a focus on its diversity. In addition to the Jewish Community, the German Antisemitism researcher Monika Schwarz-Friesel and the Jewish scholar Armin Lange were involved in the concept development. There were also regular exchanges with the Israeli Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem.

The exhibition is accessible to all visitors to the Hohes Haus am Ring. It will also form the basis for workshops at the parliament's democracy workshop. "Antisemitism is always anti-democratic," Sobotka told journalists on Wednesday evening. This is another reason why it is the task of parliament to fight against it.

Dealing honestly with Austria's history

The exhibition covers a wide range of topics, from the origins of Antisemitism in the Bible and its excesses in the Middle Ages to National Socialism and its lack of reappraisal in post-war Austria to current events. "The origins of hostility towards Jews lie in Christianity," said Sobotka during the tour of the exhibition.

The persistent attempts in the Second Republic to cover up the Holocaust and the crimes of the Nazi era instead of coming to terms with them are also dealt with in detail and honestly in the exhibition, as are the decades-long attempts to portray Austria exclusively as the "first victim" of National Socialism. A self-critical perspective that was anything but a matter of course for a long time, even in Sobotka's own party. Is it today? "Even in the Waldheim era, a lot has not yet been dealt with," said Sobotka. In general, research into how the Nazi era was dealt with from the 1950s onwards is still a very rewarding field - for university students, for example.

Israel as a "promise of security"

Israel is also a promise of security for Jews worldwide, said Sobotka. One for which Germany and Austria had a special responsibility due to their history. In his solidarity with Israel, however, he made a clear distinction between the state and the Netanyahu government, emphasized the President of the National Council. "They don't make it easy."

Many people from Jewish communities, including in Austria, are now reporting that they have packed their bags again so that they can leave the country quickly in an emergency. Despite the current situation and the new war in the Middle East, Israel is still a potential exit scenario for many. Preventing Jews in Europe from having to live in fear of attacks and assaults again is the task of the majority society, said Sobotka. "We must prevent Jews from packing their bags again." (Martin Tschiderer, 21.3.2024)

Info:

The exhibition "Tacheles reden" is freely accessible during parliamentary opening hours (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Prior online registration on the website is recommended: www.besuchen.parlament.gv.at