On the occasion of the Europe -wide memorial day on 23. August reminds the Carinthian home service with his chairman Andreas Mölzer the need for one comprehensive and fair memory.

“Especially in the light of current debates, How they are led around the Peršmanhof, it is important, to point out the European dimension ", so Mölzer. since 2009 this day is celebrated in many EU countries, To commemorate the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regime. "Such an official commemoration would have long been appropriate in Austria."

The Carinthian home service emphasizes, that All victims of injustice and violence would earn equally. “If in the souvenir year 2025 the victims of National Socialism are commemorated, Then the victims of communism and Stalinism may not be forgotten like those of the Tito Partisans ", erklärt Mölzer.

It is about Justice in memory: Non -selective, but must be remembered all -round. “This is not just a question of historical truthfulness, but above all one humanitarian duty.“

FROM THE CONTENTS OF THE CURRENT ISSUE:

• KHD chairman Andreas Mölzer: Political summer hole, Turbo heat and over-tourism Page 4-5

identity & Cultural struggle

• Andreas Mölzer: The struggle for the Carinthian culture of remembrance Page 6–8
• For a diverse and balanced culture of remembrance in Carinthia Page 9–10
• Marjan storm in conversation Page 10–12

Our Carinthia

• The scientific symposium of the KHD - a review Page 13–14
• Franz Jordan: Liescha and the commemorative year 2025 Pages 15-17

Ethnic groups and associations

• Bruno Burchhart: youth- and popular sports at DTV ST. Jakob experiences upswing Seite 18
• Silesian youth in Carinthia: Cultural exchange strengthens roots Page 19–20
• 10 Years of Gottscheer AltSiedlerverein Seite 20
• Karl Heinz Moschitz:
  • Traditional show in the open -air museum Seite 21
  • Remember in Pontafel Seite 22

From Carinthia's history

• Reinhard Eberhart and "his" duke chair Page 23–26

Although it is actually not a summer topic, must this edition of the "Carinthner" inevitably Again with the Carinthian memory policy and the commemorative year 2025 occupy. This is why, Since the ultra-link "Initiative Domplatz" in the endeavor to put the crimes of the Tito partisans into perspective, Now had a reduced and meaningful plagiarism of that monument in front of the Carinthia Museum, that of the Carinthian defense fighter BUND in memory of the one in May 1945 verschleppten und ermordeten Kärntner auf dem Klagenfurter Domplatz errichten hat lassen.

You can also read reports on the activities of the home service in this issue, So about this year's scientific symposium and about our sacrificial commemoration in Liescha in Slovenia. Außerdem wie gewohnt Beiträge über die Aktivitäten der anderen Heimatverbände und der deutschsprachigen Altösterreicher im benachbarten Slowenien.

For the common commemorative trade fair to the Carinthians dragged and murdered by partisans met round 150 People from Carinthia and Slovenia in picturesque Liescha/Leše in Knappenkirche. The fair was accompanied musically by the MGV Petzen, geleitet zweisprachig von Dechant Ivan Olip.

Following the trade fair, the descendants of the murdered victims intended together with KHD chairman Andrea Mölzer, the Austrian ambassador in Slovenia, Dr. Konrad Bühler and the first president of the Carinthian state parliament Reinhard Rohr, who agreed on this in their fixed speeches, dass man nur im gemeinsamen Opfergedenken auch gemeinsam den Frieden sichern kann.

FROM THE CONTENTS OF THE CURRENT ISSUE:

• KHD chairman Andreas Mölzer: at escort Seite 3

10. October

• Our referendum commemoration Pages 4-6

Old conflicts – new collaborations

• The scientific KHD symposium Page 7-8
• Meeting of cultures in Bleiburg Kulturni Cathedral Seite 9
• Peter Wasserheurer: Discuss old conflicts comprehensively Pages 10-11
• Marjan storm: Some thoughts on the 10. October celebrations 2023 Seite 12
• Erwin Angerer: Slovenia-Austria: "Without Borders" pages 14-15
• Filip Ogris-Martic: Carinthia as a business location Pages 15-17
• Wolfgang Pucher: Carinthia's industry and its international connections Pages 18-21
• Christof Zernatto im Interview pages 20-21
• Presseschau Page 22-23

Our Carinthia

• Civil defense: Carinthia is well equipped Pages 24-25
• Rudolf Schober im Interview Seite 24

From Carinthia's history

• Reinhold Gasper
  • 10. October – commemoration of victims Seite 26
  • 1754 Storm disaster on Lake Wörthersee Seite 27
  • Benediktinermarkt: 230 years anniversary Seite 27

This edition of “Kärntner” is of course entirely under the sign of 10. October. We report on the commemorations, in which the home service took part and also document our thoughts for deserving members of the KHD, an deren Gräber Bouquets niedergelegt wurden.
The focus of this issue is also on the scientific symposium, which the home service carries out every year in September. This time it was all about “old conflicts and new collaborations.”. The keynote speeches by the speakers and discussants are reproduced in full. On the one hand, the statements by the KAB historian Wassertheurer and the Slovenian Stergar on the subject of “old conflicts”. And on the other hand, the comments from the manager Ogris-Matic, from FPÖ boss Angerer and the representative of the Pucher Industrial Association on the topic of “new cooperations”. Darüber hinaus findet sich ein Interview mit Alt-Landeshauptmann Zernatto.
Finally there is an interview with Rudi Schober, the head of civil defense in Carinthia and historical reports from our employee Reinhold Gasper

Click here for the current issue of the “Carinthian”

FROM THE CONTENTS OF THE CURRENT ISSUE:

• KHD chairman Andreas Mölzer: In eigener Sache 3
• Andreas Mölzer: reciprocity, Madam President! 5

KHD-Activ

• Franz Jordan: commemoration and remembering … 6–7
  • Farewell without Return 8–11
  • Gedenken gegen das Vergessen 9
  • Zur Erinnerung an die „Tragödie von Bleiburg“ 10

Our Carinthia

• Peter Wassertheurer: “Remembering Against Forgetting” 12–19
• Florian Rulitz im Interview: “The victims of Bleiburg are also important for Austria 20-23

From Carinthia's history

• Reinhold Gasper:
  • Die Wörthersee-Demarkationslinie 25
  • Kärntner Landeshymne – eine Aufklärung 26

The third edition of the "Carinthian" in year 2023 focuses on commemorating the victims. Just like how we lay a wreath every year together with the Carinthian consensus group at the Klagenfurt cemetery in Annabichl at the memorial for the victims of National Socialism, this is how we have traditionally commemorated the abducted Carinthians in Liescha, Slovenia, for years, who died at the hands of the Tito partisans after the end of the war. This commemoration of the dead is an honor and a duty for us, die wir auch in Zukunft wahrnehmen werden.
In our opinion, however, all innocent victims of war and violence and dictatorship deserve the same respect. Therefore, in this issue we also report on the commemoration of the Croatian victims of the Bleiburg tragedy, die zu Unrecht samt und sonders als Ustascha-Verbrecher stigmatisiert werden.
While in the previous edition of the "Carinthian" a current topic, namely the emigration of young Carinthians from the country was the focus, so it is the work of two patriotic historians, by Florian Ruhlitz and Peter Wassertheurer, die Sie diesmal nachlesen können.

no commemoration, nowhere?

The Bleiburg massacre was the largest war crime in Europe after the 8. May 1945. The victims were mainly Croats. Doch der Umgang damit spaltet die kroatische Gesellschaft bis heute.

By Michael Martens, Zagreb

Bleiburg is located in the south of the Austrian state of Carinthia and belongs to less than 5000 inhabitants certainly not to the places, that you must have heard of. Nevertheless, the name Bleiburg is so common, at least in Croatia, as if the small town near the Slovenian border were a metropolis of millions. After Vienna, Bleiburg is probably the Austrian town, whose name is mentioned most frequently by the Croatian media – at least every year in May. Dann jährt sich nämlich seit mehr als sieben Dekaden das größte Verbrechen der europäischen Nachkriegsgeschichte.

It is often said, the Srebrenica genocide, by troops commanded by Serbian war criminal Ratko Mladić in July 1995 more than 7000 Bosnian Muslims killed, was the largest massacre in Europe since the end of the Second World War. That is true - but only then, if the end of the war in Europe is not dated to the day of the German capitulation on 8. May 1945 dated. Because the systematic mass murder, whose story at 15. May 1945 began in Bleiburg and lasted for several weeks, übertrifft in seinen Ausmaßen das Geschehen von Srebrenica deutlich.

While Europe was officially at peace, were at the "tragedy of Bleiburg", as it is often called in Croatia, Tens of thousands of defenseless by Josip Broz's Yugoslav partisans („Tito“) murdered and buried in mass graves in Slovenia and Croatia. If there had already been an international war crimes tribunal for Yugoslavia back then, as it was later set up in The Hague, Tito should have been indicted there as supreme commander of the perpetrators and thus politically responsible for these crimes. Based on the case law of the Tribunal, wäre er dabei zu lebenslänglicher Haft verurteilt worden.

But 1945 other standards applied, at least for the victors of World War II, to which Tito belonged. Im May 1945 were tens of thousands of Croats and several thousand Slovenes, Serbs and Montenegrins fled from the partisans to Carinthia, there to surrender to the British troops. Among the refugees were many "Ustasha" - supporters of the Croatian fascist regime, that between 1941 and 1945 as an ally of the Germans around the 350.000 Menschen ermordet hatte.

The victims of the Ustasha were mainly Serbs, Jews and Roma, but also communist-minded or otherwise politically unwelcome Croats. In the Croatian concentration camp Jasenovac alone, according to the broad consensus of reputable researchers, more than 80.000 Häftlinge getötet.

Among those, who had fled to Bleiburg, were also former camp guards from Jasenovac and other Ustascha perpetrators. They hoped that the British would protect them from the revenge of the partisans. But the British, who wanted to be on good terms with their then ally Tito, sent the refugees, also women and children, back to Yugoslavia. For many it was a journey to death, they were executed without trial. Exact figures are not available, since the perpetrators in socialist Yugoslavia had almost half a century to spare, to cover their tracks and stifle any debate about the crimes. Dennoch hat sich in der Forschung in den vergangenen Jahren ein Konsens über die ungefähre Opferzahl herausgebildet.

The nationalist Croatian historian and later President Franjo Tudjman had 1989 still from about 30.000 written to those killed, who died in the course of the Bleiburg tragedy. But when he wrote that, the mass graves were still closed. The experts are now in agreement, that Tudjman's number is too low. According to the latest research, at least 70.000 people from the mass killings of May and June 1945 to the victim. The bodies were thrown into karst caves, buried in anti-tank ditches or taken to abandoned mines and walled in. Erst nach dem Zerfall Jugoslawiens konnte in Slowenien und Kroatien offen über die Verbrechen gesprochen werden.

Witnesses ventured out to the public, some perpetrators eased their conscience. Hundreds of mass graves were discovered. The largest skull site of Yugoslav communism was found in the year 1999 during construction work for a highway in Tezno, a suburb of Maribor (Marburg). Alone in a former tank ditch were on a length of 70 meters almost 1200 people buried. Overall, the mass graves not far from the second largest city in Slovenia are said to contain the remains of almost 15.000 salvage victims. Die meisten waren Kroaten.

As it was banned in socialist Yugoslavia, Even to mention the crimes of the partisans - let alone, to commemorate them publicly –, wurde Bleiburg, where the tragedy began, a place of remembrance as early as the 1950s, where at least the emigrants could come together. However, this commemoration was not unproblematic from the start. Of the 1953 officially founded "Bleiburger Ehrenzug", who organized the commemorations and the associated service, was shaped by former Ustasha fighters, die selbst in die Verbrechen des faschistischen Regimes in Kroatien verstrickt waren.

On Tuesday – The presence: The children of the war still hold the East collective under their spell. Meanwhile, the younger generations are trying, den Westen zum großen Buhmann zu machen.

That is still the crux of the commemoration today: All the victims of Bleiburg were defenseless - but by no means all were innocent. All suffered a terrible injustice, because they would have been entitled to treatment as prisoners of war under the law of the time. That many of those killed defenseless had themselves killed defenseless people, does not justify her murder, belongs to the historical context. This context was often ignored at the commemorations in Bleiburg. The dead were played down as "martyrs for Croatianness"., as irreproachable resistance fighters against communism. Your story has been told, as if she had only 1945 started. Am Rande der Veranstaltung wurden T-Shirts mit Porträts des kroatischen Faschistenführers Ante Pavelić und ähnliche Devotionalien des Rechtsextremismus verkauft.

True, it was unfair and inaccurate, to denigrate the commemoration in southern Carinthia in its entirety as "Europe's largest fascist meeting"., as some media did. That didn't do justice to the many families, who actually came to Bleiburg only in silent remembrance of their murdered relatives or ancestors. But there was definitely a right-wing instrumentalization of the meeting – and that helped those forces, die am liebsten jegliches Gedenken an Bleiburg und andere Verbrechen von Titos Partisanen unterbinden möchten.

The right-wing extremist impact of the Bleiburg meeting also resulted, that the responsible diocese of Carinthia of the commemoration event in the year 2019 refused her blessing. The trade fair near Bleiburg is politically exploited and is part of “a political-national ritual”, which serves a selective interpretation of history, it was said. The event harms the reputation of the church, could even conjure up the insinuation, the diocese "lacks the appropriate distance to fascist ideas", so die Begründung.

In Croatia, leftists cheered about the church's cross-shot against the "fascist meeting". The Croatian Bishops' Conference, on the other hand, accused the Catholic brothers in Carinthia of "disrespect for the victims".. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Zagreb denied the allegation, Fascism is celebrated in Bleiburg, als „empörende Unterstellung“.

In Croatia, many people continue to be harshly unforgiving when it comes to debates about the Bleiburg case. The question comes up, how the small country should deal with the memory of the greatest massacre, that happened in Europe after the German surrender. The right-wing extremist misrepresentation of history is just one of the problems. The reactions of the left spectrum also raise questions. Is this really the only reason certain circles are opposed to a Bleiburg commemoration?, because in the past it was often accompanied by right-wing extremist distortions and trivializations? Or they basically don't want to, that “left-wing” crimes of the Yugoslav partisans are remembered? They want to prevent it, that the image of the radiant partisan hero Tito is smeared with blood, that was shed in his name? Do they want to keep the memories of the crimes from the early days of Tito's rule out of the European memory culture?? That's what it says: no commemoration, nowhere?

The Croatian writer and columnist Miljenko Jergović, whose political stance is difficult to summarize, but he is definitely not a right-winger, distinguishes in conversation between the events of 1945 and the memory of it. What happened in Bleiburg and in Yugoslavia in May and June 1945 happened, he calls it a “mass crime” and a “terrible revenge” by the partisans. “But what is remembered on the Bleiburger Feld itself?“, he asks, answering himself: Since the fifties- and sixties would have been there, with the kind toleration of the Austrian authorities, Commemorated right-wing extremists of the fascist Ustasha regime. The organizers of the commemoration were never concerned with historical facts. “They were never interested in the truth about Bleiburg, not even for the columns, who returned to Yugoslavia from the Bleiburg field. They don't care about the victims, for their number, nor for the places and circumstances of their suffering.” Instead, that was what mattered to them, the dictator Pavelić and his Ustasha as well, But to portray Tito and the partisans as evil: “Bleiburg was neither before nor after 1990 a place of remembrance for the victims.”

At the same time, Croatia's most famous writer condemns the attempts, to put the crime into perspective. The former Croatian president and former Yugoslav socialist Stjepan Mesić has commented on the Bleiburg case 2008 said a sentence that is still controversial today: “Not a single victim in the Jasenovac concentration camp had any responsibility for the victims in Bleiburg, However, many victims of Bleiburg were responsible for the victims in Jasenovac.” He never liked this sentence, says Jergović. “In a more subtle way, he justifies one crime with another. I don't understand, why you should do that.”

Martina Grahek Ravančić, Historian at the Croatian Institute of History in Zagreb, wrote a book about the bloodshed in Bleiburg that was widely acclaimed in Croatia. It applies, she says, that there were many in the refugee column to Austria and then in the prisoner column on the way back to Yugoslavia, who took part in crimes committed by the Ustasha dictatorship. Reputable historians in Croatia did not doubt this. However, even under the law of the time, the prisoners had the right to a trial. Instead there were mass shootings. “It may not have been realistic to expect, that everyone will be brought to justice, and it is clear, that every end of war is accompanied by revenge - but the time frame, The number of victims and the programmatic implementation of the liquidations in several stages indicate this, that it wasn’t just about revenge.”

In fact, the evidence is overwhelming, that “Bleiburg” was not a case of isolated, spontaneous acts of revenge by the partisans, as it was sometimes downplayed later. Rather, everything points to a systematic one, von oben angeordnete Menschenvernichtungsaktion der siegreichen Partisanen an ihren gefangenen Gegnern hin.

However, an objective debate about this is still difficult in Croatia today. “Neither the extreme right nor the extreme left are contributing to solving this problem. None of them are really interested in what happened in May 1945, and their behavior shows no human respect for the victims.", sagt Grahek Ravančić. For many, “Bleiburg” is just a political space to defend their worldview: “They firmly believe in it, that only they have the monopoly on the truth and only their attitude is correct.”

This makes the debate more difficult, that the perpetrators of Bleiburg were never brought to justice. There was no Nuremberg for the crimes of communism. Some perpetrators could still have been charged, are Grahek Ravančić. You know, which military units were involved in the crimes, the chain of command is also known. Nevertheless, none of the perpetrators ever had to fear imprisonment or even a trial. Bleiburg remains an open wound. Dealing with the biggest war crime in Europe after 8. May 1945 spaltet die kroatische Gesellschaft bis heute.

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