The association year 2020 was a very exciting one, in which some projects could be implemented despite or even because of the Corona pandemic.
A report by Bettina Reiter. Translated by Hilde Mayer
In February 2020 there was an association specialization of Alpine Peace Crossing, in the course of which the Association for Active Commemoration and Remembrance Culture – APC was founded. This newly founded association takes care of the area of commemoration and remembrance work (as well as the events in Krimml), while APC-HELP focuses on social concerns.
After it unfortunately became foreseeable in April, due to the measures taken by the federal government to contain Covid-19, that it would not be possible to hold the memorial hike as well as the dialogue forum, the question of a suitable replacement program arose. It was to be a virtual hike on which the new board of directors could be accompanied from their living rooms (at least as far as the Italian border). The board team spent a weekend in Krimml at the Tauernhaus and created video and photo material, which was then shared via social media at the time of the actually planned hike.
We used the lockdown for another project: the first issue of the Alpendistel. Magazin für antifaschistische Gedenkkultur. With the main topic “Im Schatten der Berge – Antisemitismus gestern und heute” it was printed and sent to all members in time for the actual date of the commemoration hike. We are very proud of the first issue and are pleased that we were able to provide it to all readers free of charge or for a postal fee.
Since some board members live in Salzburg City, it was clear that we wanted to do an action on the topic of NS-incriminated street names, since the expert report was expected for the end of 2020. The fact that the findings from the announced report were still a long time coming was not surprising, so we found it all the more important to draw the public’s attention to this topic. Details about the memory action can be found in the article A memory game against repression.
In February we would never have dreamed that in June we would hold the first issue of our magazine in our hands.
In general, we can look back on what we consider to be a very successful year for the association. At the founding meeting in February, for example, we would never have dreamed that at the end of June we would already be holding in our hands the first issue of our new magazine with numerous well-known authors. In addition, we are particularly pleased that we have been represented in the print media more than twenty times due to our publication of the Alpendistel and other activities.
Information on the author: Bettina Reiter is an English and physical education teacher and APC board member.