FROM THE CONTENTS OF THE CURRENT ISSUE:

• KHD chairman Andreas Mölzer: KHD remains the country's patriotic conscience pages 4–5

KHD-Activ

• 10. October celebrations:
  • Commemoration of the Carinthian local associations Page 6-7
  • Speech by Gerhard Dörfler Page 6–9
  • Steinacher memorial Seite 8
  • Carinthian Freedom Commers Seite 8
  • Commemoration of the Consensus Group Seite 9
  • Gedenkn in Annabichl Seite 9
• Andreas Mölzer: Maintain peace in the country! Pages 10-11
• Carinthia's culture of remembrance in discourse Pages 12-13
• Franz Jordan:
  • Book presentation: "Bleiburg" Seite 14
  • Active German-speaking youth in Slovenia Seite 15
• Sweep in front of your own door! – a replica from KHD chairman Mölzer Seite 17

From the associations

• Marjan storm: Consensus Group Statement Seite 18
• Andreas Mölzer: Together for Carinthia Seite 19

Our Carinthia

• 30 Years of “plowing” pages 20-22
• KHD condemns acts of vandalism Seite 23
• Ernst Brandl: Council of Europe audit report tears apart Slovenia's language policy Pages 24-25
• “Until the day of decision”: Peter Wassertheurer's latest work Seite 26

This edition of the Kärntner iis naturally characterized by reports about the celebrations and discussions surrounding the Carinthian state holiday, so that 10. Oktober.

It all started with a discussion in the Klagenfurt State Museum about the local culture of remembrance, which was initiated by the Carinthian Homeland Service. KHD boss Andreas Mölzer, together with the director of the Carinthian History Association Wilhelm Wadl and the representative of the Carinthian Consensus Group Marjan Sturm, met with the far-left representatives of the University of Klagenfurt, the Domplatz Initiative and the State Museum were discussed. Konsens konnte dabei natürlich keiner erzielt werden.

Then we continued with the celebrations for the national holiday itself, with the home associations already on 9. October held a ceremony in the Klagenfurt Landhaushof. Festredner war Alt-Landeshauptmann Gerhard Dörfler.

Afterwards there was a commemoration of Hans Steinacher at his monument in Miklauzhof and a joint commemoration with the Slovenian General Masters Association at the memorial plaque for those who fell on both sides in the border fighting 1918/19 am Friedhof in Völkermarkt.

Der Kärntner Heimatdienst und seine Mitarbeiter waren jedenfalls in den vergangenen Tagen und Wochen hoch aktiv.

Commemorating the defensive struggle and referendum of the Carinthian homeland- and traditional associations in the Klagenfurt Landhaushof on the day before the state holiday took place for the second time. Welcomed by the President of the State Parliament, Reinhard Rohr, and the Mayor of Klagenfurt, Christian Scheideer, came in front of the Carinthian Unity Monument, As is well known, the home associations include over a hundred Carinthian patriots, um bei Klängen der Sängerrunde Emmersdorf und der Khevenhüller Kapelle ein feierliches Gedenken zu begehen.

After the greetings from KHD – Chairman Andreas Mölzer, who also had critical words about the commemorative year 2025 found, and the chairman of the Kanaltaler Kulturverein Karl-Heinz Moschitz, the youth speech by Villach student Helena Wallner was the first highlight of the event. Sie zeichnete die Vision eines freien und sicheren Kärntner Heimatlandes für die Jugend.

The ceremonial speech was given by former state governor Gerhard Dörfler,
who once again pleaded for understanding and reconciliation between the German Carinthian majority population and the Slovenian ethnic group. Sein leidenschaftliches Bekenntnis für ein zukunftsweisendes Heimatgefühl und für eine Erhaltung des Friedens im Lande in der Zeit weltweiter Krisen beeindruckte die Zuhörer.

A church blessing, The traditional wreath-laying ceremony and the Carinthian local song concluded the successful event, which was routinely moderated by Bruno Burchhard. Although this was boycotted by the Carinthian Defense Fighters Association - they were not ready, to accept the keynote speaker Gerhard Dörfler – the homeland- und Traditions-Verbände des Landes damit neuerlich ein Zeichen des gelebten Patriotismus und der Kärntner Heimatliebe setzen.

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

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

This morning the homeland service chairman laid Josef Feldner with deputy chairman Franz Jordan and the member of the Carinthian Consensus Group Marjan storm a wreath at the Jewish cemetery in Klagenfurt in grateful memory of the Jewish Carinthian defensive fighter Robert PRICE nieder.

In his commemorative words Josef Feldner towards the terrible fate, das Juden unter dem NS-Terrorregime erleiden mussten.

Feldner recalled the invaluable achievements, die die autochthone jüdische Bevölkerung in Österreich-Ungarn und danach in allen Lebensbereichen erbracht hatte.

In the First World War, continued Feldner, Jews fought side by side with the other Austrian soldiers until the end. Many of them fell, was ihnen aber Jahrzehnte hindurch nicht gedankt wurde.

Jews also played a key role in the Carinthian defensive campaign. Today, on behalf of everyone, we want to commemorate the Carinthian defensive fighter Robert Preis and include all victims of the Holocaust in our remembrance, so Feldner abschließend.

Marjan storm pointed out, that the Jewish population in Carinthia was the first, who was expelled and persecuted. And storm on:

From this follows, that we must always include all victim groups in our remembrance

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.”

Today's press conference serves the purpose, Sie über geplante Veranstaltungen und sonstige Aktivitäten des Kärntner Heimatdienstes im Zusammenhang mit dem 100-Jahr-Jubiläum der Kärntner Volksabstimmung zu informieren.

since 2005 and especially since the solemn declaration of the Carinthian Consensus Group on 9. October 2006, to work on a climate of mutual trust in the future, our thinking about voting is shaped by togetherness and we have tried hard ever since, that under the motto remembering, Reconcile, Shaping the future and putting it into practice. Our efforts to reach an understanding, which have long since been largely successful, are not in contradiction to the grateful remembrance of those above 100 Jahren mit der Waffe und dem Stimmzettel erkämpfte Kärntner Landeseinheit im Verbund mit Österreich.

We have that on 10. March, a few hours before the prescribed lockdown at the ceremony for 100. Anniversary of the founding of the Carinthian Home Service and we will continue to do so!

Starting tomorrow in a virtual commemorative event in memory of the 50.000 that day before 100 Jahren am Zollfeld zusammengeströmten Menschen.

Furthermore, as a lasting expression of our commemorative culture, we are erecting a 100-year anniversary memorial in Miklauzhof with the inscription

“Common home 1920 – 2020 Kärnten einig und frei“.

We will also commemorate Hans Steinacher on our own plaque attached to the anniversary memorial (See the article on Instagram and Facebook)

As managing director of the Carinthian Homeland Service, Hans Steinacher was the engine of pro-Austrian propaganda before the referendum, which has been publicly recognized across the country in a variety of ways to this day, because without him there would be no undivided Carinthia. With our appreciation we do not want to displace the dark spots in Steinacher's life. Deshalb haben wir unter der Federführung von KHD-Obmann-Stellvertreter Andreas Mölzer zehn Historiker mit kontroversem Bezug zu Steinacher zur Stellungnahme eingeladen.
We want the result before that 10. October in a documentary under the title "Hans Steinacher – A Carinthian in light and shadow " publish. Damit wollen wir ein Zeichen setzen gegen eine ansonsten weit verbreitete eindimensionale Betrachtungsweise der Geschichte.

With this in mind, we will go before 10. October present the following publications:

• "The Carinthian Heimatdienst and the German ethnic group in Slovenia", such as
• "The post during the fighting and the referendum in Carinthia."

Finally, at the beginning of October we will be in close cooperation with the Carinthian Consensus Group as the editor of their dialogue- and reconciliation work 2005 in a comprehensive 370 Seiten umfassenden Dokumentation präsentieren.

We will conclude the anniversary year for the first time since the vote commemoration on the evening of 9. October with laser projections in memory of the hundreds of bonfires, the night before referendum day 1920 auf Kärntner Bergen abgebrannt wurden.

Wir finanzieren das alles mit freiwilligen Spenden und ohne einem EURO Steuergeld.

Ladies and gentlemen!

However, we should and must not only look to the past, but primarily in a common, be directed towards a peaceful future, Sharpened by common victim commemoration practiced for years with descendants of our former military opponents from Slovenia. With this we draw a line under mutual blame, unter Misstrauen und Aversionen.
If, without the intention of revising, we show each other respect for commemorating votes on the one hand and commemoration of the fighters around the northern border on the other, then we show in miniature, wie ein friedliches und partnerschaftliches Zusammenleben der Völker weltweit funktionieren könnte.

image: Obamann of the Carinthian Homeland Service Dr.. Josef Feldner (Image source: Fritzpress)

Joint commemoration of Nazi victims and the Carinthian post-war victims of the Tito regime

image:  v.l. IN Joe Habernik Konsensgruppe, Manuel Jug Chairman Central Association of Slovenian Organizations, Dr. Josef Feldner, EU-Abg.a.D. Andreas Mölzer, Dr. Marjan storm, Former President of the Landtag. Rudolf Schober, Julia Gruber and Ferdinand Raunegger (both KHD youth). (Image source: FritzPress)