For the eleventh time, the “Festival of Joy” took place on Heldenplatz in Vienna, which commemorates the liberation of Austria from National Socialist rule. The motto of this year’s festival was civic courage, which was also called for by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen in his speech.
The red-white-red head of state recalled that large parts of the population still crave the “strong man” and fear a colorful, diverse society. These are views, “because it is not an attitude”. “Looking and acting, that is civil courage, that is attitude”, Van der Bellen appealed to the Austrians. However, attitude is not free and its use is also not manageable.
“Linguistic attacks are the sledgehammer”
The Federal President also recalled – without naming names – that fundamental democratic values were questioned again and again – “not in secret, but openly and effectively in the media”. It is not enough to ignore such speeches, because: “Language attacks are the sledgehammer with which to tear down the wall of humanism.” That is why civilian courage is already in demand and “not just when real heroism is required”. .
Previously, the chairman of the Mauthausen committee, Willi Mernyi, traditionally received only one group of guests: the eyewitnesses. “You are role models, admonishers,” he said, not only to the Holocaust survivors who were present. “You stand for ‘never again’ and ‘never forget’.” Mernyi also emphasized values such as solidarity and civic courage. This applies not only to overt racism, but also to hate comments and bullying.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
