Gunskirchen Lager: SURVIVORS AND VETERANS VISIT, March 23rd, 06

DEUTSCHE VERSION

(Please klick on photos to enlarge!)

Nearly 61 years ago Gunskirchen Lager, a satellite camp of 
the concentration camp Mauthausen, was liberated by the US Army. 
On March 23rd 2006 survivors and liberators of the camp and 
family members came to visit Gunskirchen.
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Our meeting point was the site of the former camp in the woods.
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Mrs Anna Rosmus, who organised the journey, gave a short survey of the history and the liberation of the camp. Dr. Robert O. Fisch, survivor of Mauthausen and Gunskirchen Lager, talked about his memories and emphasised that only mutual understanding, tolerance, love and humanity can guarantee freedom for all.

Mason H. Dorsey, liberator of the camp, recited his poem „Freedom is not free“.

Klick here to see complete poem!
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Mrs Doris Schaschinger welcomed our guests. Mayor Karl Gruenauer and Franz Heilinger, principal of the local secondary school, talked about the importance of teaching our youth about happenings in our past and to communicate values such as democracy, tolerance and love.
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Students of Hauptschule Gunskirchen with their teachers Elfie Fazekas and Isolde Mayr sang songs and danced.
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After that Mrs Doris Schaschinger and Mrs Susanne Moeseneder presented a number of photos and texts of past commemorations. The background painting was done by our 4th graders and their art teacher Sieglinde Keil.
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Students read texts that had been written after the commemoration in 1995, when we had the opportunity to talk to survivors and liberators of the camp. We got lots of presents - books, badges, and even tatoos ;-)! - Thanks a lot! 
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Human rights - in German and English
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Two of the good souls who decorated the tables so nicely 
- under the supervision of Mrs Veronika Grueneis.
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There wasn´t enough time to have everyone sign our visitors´ book.
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Having lunch together gave us the change to chat and exchange ideas - and addresses!
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We enjoyed talking to our guests enormously and spent a wonderful time together.
We are looking forward to the promised visit next year !

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