Grand Opening of the 12th part of the Path of Remembrance through Leopoldstadt (second District), Sunday 16, September, 2018
Around 30 people gathered under the sun to take part in the commemoration of further “Stones ” in the 2nd District as part of the Path of Remembrance. The opening ceremony was held in the small park near the Kafkasteg, which was filled with the joyous noise of children playing.
Roswitha Hammer opened the afternoon with a short presentation about the Association, recalling founder Elisabeth David Hindler’s intention for the “Stones of Remembrance” not only to remember the tragic deaths of murdered Jewish fellow citizens, but also to evoke memories of their lives.
Since its founding, the ” Stones of Remembrance Association ” has commemorated 1400 people in 400 stations, with 220 of these stations located in the 2nd District, the former Mazzes Island.
Thanks were offered to District representatives in attendance. In addition to our long-time supporter, Ms. District President Uschi Lichtenegger, other members of the district policy also taking part were Maga Bulman-Golubic Katarzyna, Nikolai Alexander and Nikolai Doris.
Thanks were also offered to our many volunteers, with special mention of editor Rudolf Forster, Peter Mlczoch and graphic designer Jamila Böhm.
Speaking on behalf of the District, Ms. Lichtenegger spoke about the project “Writing Against Forgetting,” in which fellow citizens chalked up the names of the 66,000 Austrian victims of the Shoah on the main avenue.
After the presentations, participants of the event proceeded to the stations where new Stones were opened.
Wehlistraße 218:
The Merl family from Vienna and Linz as well as Brillson family from New York commemorated Paula Merls, Chaje Feige Merls and Littman Merls.
In a touching performance, Mr. Merls, accompanied by his son, sang the Yiddish song: I live forever.
Mr. Brillson then recited the Kaddish funeral prayer.
Ausstellungsstraße 5:
Danny Allen initiated a Stone of Remembrance to commemorate his grandparents Gustav and Elsa Spitz.
Danny Allen spoke of how his grandparents and their children loved to come to this address where, before World War II, there was a Kaffehaus with garden. This was at a time before they bid each other farewell forever at the Westbahnhof, the children transported on the British “Kindertransport”, never to return.
Danny Allen was accompanied by his partner, Maureen Kendall.