At the invitation of the Carinthian homeland service, a group of young Ukrainian girls is currently on summer vacation in Carinthia. Neben Urlaub traten die jungen Damen mit ihrem Chor und ihrer Tanzgruppe bei mehreren Vorführungen unter anderem in Klagenfurt und in Villach vor einem begeisterten Publikum auf.

The prelude to this was the opening of an exhibition about the Ukrainian Germans in the vaulted gallery of the Europahaus in Klagenfurt. There the young girls were raised by the Carinthian governor Peter Kaiser, was warmly welcomed to Carinthia by the head of KHD Andreas Mölzer and the former governor of the house, Christoph Zernatto. Neben den genannten waren zahlreiche hochrangige Vertreter der Kärntner Politik und der Kärntner heimattreuen Verbände zugegen.

In addition to international understanding, der Unterstützung deutscher Minderheiten im Ausland steht bei der Reise der jungen Damen aber auch eine Auszeit in ruhigen Gefilden von den harten Zeiten in ihrer ukrainischen Heimat im Vordergrund.

LH Kaiser: Carinthian homeland service has undergone an impressive change under Josef Feldner - Neo-Chairman Andreas Mölzer wants to continue to focus on reconciliation - Feldner will continue to be involved in the consensus group

Klagenfurt (LPD). For around fifty years, Josef Feldner was at the head of the Carinthian homeland service (KHD). Andreas Mölzer has been the chairman since March. In the course of today's inaugural visit of the new chairman, which was also attended by honorary chairman Rudolf Schober, Governor Peter Kaiser acknowledged the commitment of Josef Feldner in the consensus group. “The home service has undergone an impressive change in recent years and has trodden the path of understanding and reconciliation. The atmosphere in the country has improved for everyone as a result.", said Kaiser and referred to the possibilities, die sich aus Kärntens Lage am Schnittpunkt von drei Kulturkreisen ergeben würden und nannte exemplarisch die Bestrebungen einer grenzübergreifenden Olympiabewerbung.

Andreas Mölzer assured, that reconciliation and mutual support for all people in Carinthia will continue to be the focus of all KHD efforts. “We will also have to face the question, what role KHD can play in society in the future. Service to the homeland can also be nature- or be environmental protection", schilderte Mölzer.

The outgoing chairman Josef Feldner reported, that his personally greatest success was understanding and reconciliation with the ethnic group. "It's nice, no longer have to be against it, but to be able to be for it", Feldner summarized, der auch weiterhin eine zentrale Rolle in der Konsensgruppe innehaben wird.

image: LPD Carinthia/Bauer

Memorial words from KHD chairman Josef Feldner

Ladies and gentlemen! Ladies and gentlemen

We are unveiling a plaque today, on which fallen fighters are named by both sides, but not according to national, state or military affiliation, but according to the alphabet. With this we are writing a new chapter in the cross-border culture of remembrance and have been setting an act of reconciliation that is unique in Austria in the pursuit of overcoming both sides 100 Jahren bestehenden Aversionen und Misstrauen.

But there is still a long way to go, especially in 100 Years ago, here and there, branded nationalisms, combined with a one-sided view of history, jegliches Bemühen um Versöhnung im Keim erstickten.

As beautiful and important as it is, at workshops, to advocate understanding and reconciliation in seminars or other events, it is so ineffective, wenn die wichtigen wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisse nicht auch in die Tat umgesetzt werden.

We in the Carinthian Consensus Group didn't just talk, we have acted and nailed our heads:

Starting with the compromise on the signposts sixteen years ago, which has become the basis for a finite place-name sign solution, bis zu unseren seit Jahren jeweils im Oktober durchgeführten gemeinsamen Veranstaltungen im Gedenken an die Opfer beider Kampfparteien.

With great success, that after initial hesitation, in the year 2016 for the first time also top representatives of the "General Maister Association" – Nachkommen unserer einstigen militärischen Gegner aus Slowenien – teilgenommen haben.

But we don't want to be satisfied with that either! With our plaque we want to take this important step towards reconciliation, visible and tangible for everyone, öffentlich dokumentieren als bleibendes Monument eines gelungenen Kapitels im Bereich der Vergangenheitsbewältigung.

Yet: We must not let up in our reconciliation work. Too many people with both tongues have yet to be convinced of the necessity, overcome linguistic and ethnic barriers. Not just to consolidate peaceful coexistence, but also to face the enormous challenges that threaten the world together. Darüber hinaus wollen wir aber auch europaweit Vorbildwirkung erzielen und zur Nachahmung anregen.

Ladies and gentlemen!

Even if a lot, there is a lot to do, so we can already say in view of a largely conflict-free coexistence of the people in the once hotly contested Carinthian border region:

The defensive battle is over!

Today we can increasingly use our forces away from opposing one another for a fruitful togetherness. Das kommt auch der slowenischen Volksgruppe im Streben nach Festigung und Weiterentwicklung ihrer sprachlichen und ethnischen Besonderheit zugute.

Even after the First World War, the minorities in all of Europe did not do well for much too long. But also after the National Socialist terror regime was smashed, in which the minority has been threatened with extinction, waren auch in der Zweiten Republik die Entwicklungsmöglichkeiten unserer slowenischen Mitbürger nicht zufriedenstellend.

I say that quite self-critically as someone, who has always seen ethnic group rights in the civil society area static and not dynamic, was etwa in der Ortstafelfrage mit zu einem jahrzehntelangem Stillstand beigetragen hat.

Today there is a departure from static adherence to the letter of Article 7 of the State Treaty 1955 The Slovene ethnic group also has new opportunities for linguistic and cultural development. A willingness to engage in dialogue and a sense of proportion should be demonstrated:

For further development in a biotope, in welchem Mehrheit wie Minderheit befreit von gegenseitigen Schuldzuweisungen und frei von Misstrauen und Aversionen ihre Sprache und Kultur pflegen können.

Ladies and gentlemen!

When today we celebrate the common commemoration of the victims as an important act of reconciliation, as documented on a memorial plaque, then for the Carinthian Heimatdienst this does not mean turning away from its sense of tradition. In addition to maintaining our common culture and our German mother tongue, we will continue to honor the Carinthian defensive fighters in the future, just as we show understanding, für das Gedenken in Slowenien an die Kämpfer um die Nordgrenze.

With mutual respect, without any pretense, free from aversions and distrust, we can also adopt the words of the Slovenian national poet France Prešeren from his toast Zdravljica as a common cultural asset:

"Long live all peoples, who longingly wait for the day, that under this sun the world renounces the old strife! Then everyone is free, not enemy, only neighbor from now on!

image: fritzpress

Until 7. July you can see the documentation here nachsehen.

The ones from Director Thomas Hackl nach zwei Jahren intensiver Vorbereitungsarbeit erstellte ORF-Produktion „Kärntens umkämpfte Grenze“ dokumentiert die wechselvolle Geschichte mit auch kriegerischcn Auseinandersetzungen des Grenzlandes Kärnten im vergangenen Jahrhundert .

In a statement, Thomas Hackl attaches importance to the finding, “The border is not just a geographical one, but also to show it as a political entity, as something that is still anchored in people's minds to this day. "

In the thoroughly controversial view of this time in Carinthia's history, representatives of the KÄRNTNER CONSENSUS GROUP come as a "milestone in the dialogue", as Hackl emphasizes, zu Wort.

The documentation will, so the director "Bring a lot of new and surprising things also for non-Carinthians."

“Small newspaper” from 28. 6. 2021

To: Even if the European Football Championship is a big competition on the broadcast date, should just be the YOUTH – also outside of Carinthia – view this DOCU, in order to be able to form your own picture of this exciting chapter of Austrian history after assessing the various positions.

image: Screenshot "ORF TV-Thek"

The “Carinthian Consensus Group” mourns the loss of her member chief. i.R. Heinz Stritzl, the since 2005 ein Pfeiler der Konsenspolitik in Kärnten gewesen war.
The place-name sign solution, as prepared by the consensus group, trägt wesentlich auch seine Handschrift.

For that he became, together with his colleagues, u.a. with the "European Citizen Award” of the European Parliament, the “Austrian Constitutional Prize” of the “Forum Constitution” as well as with the Great Silver Medal of Honor” für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich ausgezeichnet.

Stritzl was also the German ethnic group in Slovenia, especially the Gottscheers, a matter of the heart. Even in old age he would not let himself be taken away, an Veranstaltungen zum Abbau von Ressentiments in Slowenien teilzunehmen und der Volksgruppe in Vielem beizustehen.
Heinz Stritzl becomes the consensus group, dem Land Kärnten und dem Dialog über die beiden Volksgruppen hinweg fehlen.

For the Carinthian consensus group:
Josef Feldner, Stefan Karner, Bernard Sadovnik and Marjan storm

As has been the case for many years, members of the Carinthian consensus group commemorated Ascension Day, of the Homeland Service and the Slovenian Central Association together of the millions of victims of Nazi terror and all post-war victims of totalitarian regimes. (Top right picture)

Austria's ambassador to Slovenia remembered the day before Elisabeth Ellison-Kramer, the association chairman of the German-speaking cultural associations in Slovenia, Christian Lautischer and Minister a.D.. Ingo Pasch (Top left image) in Leše / Liescha (Slovenia) that of Carinthia after the end of 2. Weltkriegs verschleppten und grausam ermordeten Opfer.

„Enlightenment and open dealing with historical events are important as a basis for trusting dialogue and reconciliation " betonte in diesem Zusammenhang Frau Botschafterin Ellison-Kramer.

Christian Lautischer added:

“We met today in Liescha / Leše, because a peaceful coexistence is important to us. This requires the often cited coming to terms with the past, the willingness to meet and to understand the other – however from all sides.”

KHD chairman commemorated at the memorial at the cemetery in Klagenfurt-Annabichl Josef Feldner for the "day of joy" of the end of the Nazi terror, of millions of people, those from racial, religious and ideological reasons were murdered by the National Socialist injustice regime as well as all innocent post-war victims, to close with the call:

“Let us expand the“ Day of Joy ”to contempt any authoritarian thought guets, let's extend the "day of joy" to the "day of reconciliation", to overcome in an exemplary manner in our Alps-Adriatic region, what has separated us for too long!

Marjan storm, Member of the Carinthian consensus group and retired chairman. of the Slovenian Central Association led i.a.. out:

“It was 76 years ago, that the tyranny of the Nazis has ended. The road to freedom is paved with millions of dead concentration camp inmates, Allied soldiers, Resistance fighters and civilian victims, but also from soldiers of the Wehrmacht, die nicht alle freiwillig in den Krieg gezogen sind.

European integration offers the opportunity, to discuss the different narratives in dialogue and thus to come to a synthesis; which can only read: No more violence, never again war, never again fascism and totalitarianism, never again intolerance towards those who think differently, towards minorities and other peoples. "

Außer den Veranstaltungen in Klagenfurt-Annabichl und Liescha wurde auch in zahlreichen weiteren Orten des Kärntner Unterlandes der schuldlosen Opfer aller totalitärer Regime gedacht.

Via the initiative of the KHD chairman's deputy Franz Jordan was prayed in these May days in many Catholic churches in Lower Carinthia for the victims of the war and the post-war days. These prayers also joined Pastor Erich Ickelsheim (Old Catholic Church) such as Pfarrer Ljubomir Radovanov (Orthodox Church) an.

Captions: Top left image: Commemoration of sacrifices in Slovenia from left. Minister a.D. Ingo Pasch, Ambassador Elisabeth Ellison-Kramer and Christian Lautischer.. fritz-press Top right picture: v.l. Manuel Jug, Chairman of the Central Association of Slovenian Organizations, KHD-Chairman-Deputy EU-Abg. a.D. Andreas Mölzer, Dr. Josef Feldner, Dr. Florian Rulitz, Former President of the Landtag. Rudolf Schober, Dr. Marjan Sturm and Julia Gruber (KHD youth).

Now the investigation of the memorial abusers must also be accelerated. The KHD is ready for this, Further 5.000 Euro Belohnung zu zahlen.

After the State monument “Site of Carinthian Unity” in Klagenfurt's Landhaushof and that Jubilee memorial had been violated in Miklauzhof, became the Slovenian name on several at the beginning of this year bilingual place-name signs überschmiert.

KHD promises 5.000 Euro reward

The reward was for researching the plaque smearers who were against peaceful coexistence, as well as peace- and those who are hostile to understanding Memorial molester zugesagt.

With success!

A few weeks later, the observant police officer was able to Matthias kotnik give useful advice to the executive in his spare time, which led to the investigation of two perpetrators, die die slowenische Bezeichnung auf mehreren Ortstafeln überschmiert hatten.

The reward was paid to Matthias Kotnik today

The investigation of the perpetrators made an important contribution to the further consolidation of the peaceful coexistence of German Carinthians and Slovenian Carinthians, which has been untroubled for years, stressed Chairman Josef Feldner and expressed his hope, that now those troublemakers too, who desecrated the state memorial in Klagenfurt and the anniversary memorial in Miklauzhof, ausgeforscht werden.

The KHD promises more for the investigation of the memorial abusers 5.000 Euro reward to be paid. With this, the KHD wants to underline its great interest in sustainable reconciliation and understanding. Im Interesse des Friedens in einer gemeinsamen Heimat Kärnten.

KHD / fritzpress Foto: Reward in front of the office building of the Carinthian Homeland Service paid out from L.. KHD chairman Josef Feldner, Finance officer Walter Leitner, Vice Chairman Franz Jordan and Matthias Kotnik)

The on 3. October of the Carinthian Heimatdienst unveiled the anniversary monument "Common Homeland Carinthia", that should include both population groups equally, to finally overcome old distrust and mutual aversions, was made in the morning hours of Christmas Eve(!) again smeared. With black paint and the Slovenian word "Sramota" sprayed in red (shame).

The attack, apparently by a small group of Slovenian nationalist extremists, is aimed at this, das friedliche Zusammenleben beider Bevölkerungsgruppen in Kärnten zu torpedieren.

That although in the anniversary year that has now ended, also repeated by the Carinthian Homeland Service of the many Slovenes loyal to Carinthia, who voted for Austria, had been thanked, without judging them, die damals für Jugoslawien stimmten.

Der Kärntner Heimatdienst wird sich auch durch Gewaltaktionen slowenischer Extremisten nicht vom auch künftigen Weg der Verständigung und Versöhnung abhalten lassen ohne dabei seine traditionsbewusste Aufgabenstellung aufzugeben.

Let me make it clear once more:

If we show respect for one another without intent to revise the boundaries, on the one hand for the memory in Slovenia of the fighters around the northern border, dann erwarten wir andererseits auch denselben Respekt für unser pro-österreichisches Abstimmungsgedenken in Kärnten.

And this commemoration of ours also indispensably closes the undisputed motor in the intellectual struggle for Austria, Hans Steinacher a, without concealing its ambivalent relationship to National Socialism, like in our documentation presented by the deputy chairman Andreas Mölzer at the unveiling of the monument “Hans Steinacher in light and shadow. A Carinthian of his time " offengelegt wird.

Chairman Josef Feldner

The upcoming events of the Carinthian Homeland Service were reported in various media. So the announces “Small newspaper” below the title “Lasers instead of fire – Spectacular contribution by the Heimatdienst to the Carinthian anniversary year” the big laser show of the KHD on the evening of 9. Oktobers an.

ORF-Kärnten also reports on the numerous projects of the Heimatdienst:

“Home Service plans virtual events

The Carinthian Homeland Service has its plans for the anniversary year on Friday 100 Years of the Carinthian referendum announced. They rely on virtual events via social media. Since the consensus group's declaration 2006 there is a climate of mutual trust, was stressed.”

Of course, the Kärntner Kronen Zeitung also reports on the events of the Kärntner Heimatdienst:

“The Carinthian Homeland Service leaves – of course also due to corona – with time. Because it is in memory of the hundreds of bonfires before the referendum day on this year 10. Ok­tober 1920 there can be no similar activity, you rely on modern technology. In many places in Carinthia, projections of such fires are made the night before 100 Years to remember.”

Let us not be provoked! Good neighborly relations with Slovenia and peaceful coexistence in Carinthia must not be endangered

We don't want to go back in history

Stattdessen sollte mit vertrauensbildenden Maßnahmen der Weg in eine friedliche europäische Zukunft weiter geebnet werden.

Dazu könnte auch die endliche Anerkennung der deutschsprachigen Volksgruppe als autochthone Minderheit beitragen.

The relations between Austria and Slovenia have been seen as clear for years. Now if the Slovenian MP Zmago Jelinčič for the 100th anniversary, the legitimacy of the Carinthian referendum is in doubt, that's how to reject it diplomatically, However, as a Member of Parliament's individual opinion, it must not endanger good neighborly relations. For many years, Heimatdienst and the Carinthian consensus group have been holding a joint commemoration of the victims of the struggles for Carinthia in Völkermarkt 1919/20 vertrauensbildende Maßnahmen.

With the motto "They died believing in their homeland, because politics was unable, to resolve the conflicts peacefully " the Victims on both sides thought, thus also the Yugoslav "fighters for the northern border", the former military opponents in the Carinthian defense. That made it possible, that last year the leadership of the largest traditional association of the former “fighters around the northern border” from Slovenia also took part in this commemoration. This should have an exemplary effect. Instead of taking backward positions, sollten vertrauensbildende Maßnahmen auf beiden Seiten der Karawanken eine grenzüberschreitende Versöhnung nachhaltig festigen.

In diesem Sinne könnte die Erfüllung einer jüngsten All-Parteien-Entschließung im Parlament zur Anerkennung der deutschsprachigen Volksgruppe in Slowenien als autochthonen Minderheit die Beziehungen zwischen Österreich und Slowenien weiter festigen.

For the Carinthian homeland service

Chairman Josef Feldner

image: 6. Cross-border commemorative sacrifice, Stadtfriedhof Vö ?? lkermarkt (Image source: fritzpress)