Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan convened with high-ranking Austrian officials in Vienna ahead of the inauguration of the Yad Vashem exhibit in the parliament in the country's capital, Yad Vashem announced on Tuesday.
Dayan reportedly met with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, President Alexander Van der Bellen, Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the Austrian Parliament, and Jewish community leaders.
"Austria has taken significant steps in the right direction towards confronting its Holocaust-related past," Dayan noted, adding, "While today it speaks with clarity and conviction about its role as a perpetrator in the horrors of the Shoah, there remain forces that seek to distort or rewrite this narrative."
Regarding the exhibit, Dayan further stated, "The opening of this exhibition, within the Austrian Parliament itself, holds tremendous historic and symbolic significance. It stands as a powerful testament to the necessity of Holocaust remembrance and Austria’s steadfast commitment to preserving the factual integrity of this dark chapter in history."
He affirmed that "By embracing this responsibility, Austria sends a clear message to the world: only by facing painful truths can we secure a future free from the scourge of antisemitism and hatred."
Yad Vashem added that during Dayan's visit, the organization's chairman and Nahammer also signed an agreement entitled "Memorandum of Understanding" (MOU) between the Austrian Federal Chancellery and Yad Vashem, which aimed to strengthen cooperation between Austria and Yad Vashem.
'Place of eternal remembrance'
“Yad Vashem is the place of eternal remembrance of six million Jewish victims of the Shoah and will always remind us of the unprecedented atrocities committed against the Jewish people,” President Van der Bellen stated.
He spoke of the surge in antisemitism in Europe, noting, “I am seriously concerned about the rise of antisemitic incidents in Europe, and I reiterate my personal commitment, and the commitment of the Republic of Austria, to continue fighting antisemitism in all its forms. Only then will we live up to the words ‘Never again.'"
The Yad Vashem exhibit, "Torn from Life: The Fate of Austrian Jews After the Anschluss in 1938," showcases photographs, drawings, and personal documents, such as letters, belonging to Austrian Jews in an attempt to shed light on their lives following the Anschluss in 1938.
According to Yad Vashem, this is the first time many such documents are returning to Austria.