80 Years of Liberation of Mauthausen: Diplomacy, Remembrance and the Reminder of History
Over 20,000 people commemorated the 80th anniversary of the US Army's liberation of Mauthausen concentration camp, with high-ranking guests including the Spanish royal couple, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, and Kosovan President Vjosa Osmani.
Austria's Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with the Spanish royal couple Felipe VI and Letizia in Mauthausen. / Picture: © Österreichische Präsidentschaftskanzlei / Peter Lechner/HBF
On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Mauthausen concentration camp by the US Army, over 20,000 people from all over the world gathered on Sunday to commemorate the victims of National Socialist terror. This year's liberation ceremony was marked by international solidarity, historical responsibility, and political vigilance. High-ranking guests such as the Spanish royal couple, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, Kosovan President Vjosa Osmani, and representatives of the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. military lent the event a special diplomatic depth.
Gemeinsam für ein „Niemals wieder“!
— Alexander Van der Bellen (@vanderbellen) May 11, 2025
Am Rande der internationalen Befreiungsfeier im ehemaligen KZ Mauthausen trifft Bundespräsident Alexander Van der Bellen das spanische Königspaar, König Felipe VI und Königin Letizia, und die kosovarische Präsidentin Vjosa Osmani. pic.twitter.com/M29RExS452
Spanish royal couple between commemoration and criticism
The Spanish royal couple visited Mauthausen for the first time since the commemorations began. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia laid a white wreath in front of the central sarcophagus - a symbolic commemoration of over 7,000 Spanish Republicans who were deported to Mauthausen by the Nazis. The Queen wore a scarf with the red triangle and the letter “S” - the symbol of Spanish prisoners. While many victims' associations saw the visit as overdue and symbolically important, there was also clear criticism from Spain itself, as reported by ORF: the Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory (ARMH) called for the visit to be canceled. The monarchy was a legacy of the Franco regime, which had indirectly facilitated the deportations of Spanish republicans.
Los Reyes, durante la ofrenda floral en el monumento a los republicanos españoles y el monumento francés en el campo de concentración de Mauthausen.
— Casa de S.M. el Rey (@CasaReal) May 11, 2025
https://t.co/GHVkoXfV5Z pic.twitter.com/5cgIhV0LD5
U.S. delegation with a symbolic gesture
The U.S. delegation also showed a strong presence: led by Chargée d'Affaires Kami Witmer, Major General Peter Andrysiak from the U.S. European Command, and Holocaust Special Representative Ellen Germain. She was accompanied by descendants of former prisoners and U.S. soldiers who were involved in the liberation in 1945. A particularly moving moment was the appearance of Rabbi Abraham Cooper (Simon Wiesenthal Center), who, together with families, presented a replica of the “Mauthausen flag” from 1945 - a symbol of hope in dark times.
This year, we were honored to be joined by the descendants of survivors and liberators, as well as the “Mauthausen Babies,” survivors of the camp born just before its liberation. The U.S. delegation at the Mauthausen’s International Liberation Ceremony was led by Chargé… pic.twitter.com/3TD1nVfyGJ
— U.S. Embassy Vienna (@usembvienna) May 11, 2025
Focus on contemporary witnesses and “Mauthausen babies”
This year's celebration once again focused on encounters between contemporary witnesses and the present. Three so-called “Mauthausen babies” - Hana Berger-Moran, Mark Olsky, and Eva Clarke - symbolically led the memorial procession. They were born in the camp or on transports just a few days before the liberation. Their life stories are exemplary of survival under inhumane conditions, and the legacy of remembrance. Shaul Spielmann, one of the last surviving contemporary witnesses, was once again invited as a guest of honor.
Side events and religious reminders
The central commemoration was accompanied by numerous side events: an ecumenical service was held with the participation of Bishop Manfred Scheuer of Linz, the Protestant Bishop Michael Chalupka, and the Greek Orthodox Episcopal Vicar Ioannis Nikolitsis. In their sermon, they recalled the significance of the Nazi past in terms of international law and warned of current dangers to human rights and democracy. Chalupka urged people not to remain silent when international law is trampled on again today.
Appeals against anti-Semitism and authoritarian systems
The President of the Comité International de Mauthausen, Guy Dockendorf, also spoke in this spirit. He called on young people to preserve the lessons of Mauthausen in the face of the global shift to the right, the war in Ukraine, and growing authoritarian tendencies. Meanwhile, at the Israeli memorial, IKG President Oskar Deutsch recalled the “annihilation of anti-Semitism” of today's extremists, such as Hamas and the Iranian regime.
Gusen: coming to terms after a long period of neglect
On the eve of the central ceremony, a large commemorative event was also held in Gusen, with a record number of participants. It commemorated the 36,000 prisoners murdered there, including many from Poland, the Soviet Union, France, Spain, and Italy. The conditions in the Gusen subcamp were particularly cruel - prisoners had to build an underground armaments factory under the disguise name “Bergkristall”. While Mauthausen was given a memorial early on, Gusen was politically neglected for a long time. It was only in recent years that the Republic bought back land, including former SS buildings and tunnel entrances, to create a worthy memorial site. However, the former “Jourhaus” is still privately owned.
Political reminders with a view to the present
Federal President Van der Bellen warned in a written statement: “In the beginning, there was silence. In the beginning, there was looking away.” He recalled that remembering Mauthausen was not a historical duty, but a current mission. Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker also emphasized that Mauthausen was “a reminder of what authoritarian ideologies and hatred can lead to”.
A call for responsibility
The events were organized by the Mauthausen Committee, Austria, and were held under the annual motto “Together for a ‘Never Again’”. In addition to Mauthausen and Gusen, commemorations also took place in Melk, Ebensee, and Gunskirchen. The commemorative procession began with the reading of the “Mauthausen Oath” by young people in several languages.
The liberation ceremonies in 2025 were more than just historical rituals. They combined past and present, remembrance and diplomacy - an impressive sign against forgetting and for a democratic Europe. The encounters, speeches, and gestures made it clear that remembrance does not stand still - it means responsibility.