08 October 2024
Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, will inaugurate a poignant new exhibition in the building of the Austrian Parliament. A photo album, stool, Tefillin (Phylacteries) satchel, and miniature Torah scroll, are just some of the artifacts that are used in Yad Vashem's new exhibition "Torn from Life: The Fate of Austrian Jews After the Anschluss in 1938", telling 14 personal stories of Viennese Jews who were forced to flee Austria to escape Nazi persecution and the fate that awaited much of European Jewry. The new exhibition, a joint project between Yad Vashem and the Austrian Federal Chancellery, will open on Tuesday, 15 October 2024 at 18:00 in the presence of Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan, Austrian Parliament President Wolfgang Sobotka, and representatives of the families whose artifacts are displayed in the exhibition.
This new exhibition, featuring artifacts and items from Yad Vashem’s world-class archives and collections, tells the important story of the Austrian Jewry in the 1930s and the persecution and displacement they endured on the eve of the Holocaust. Through these meticulously preserved artifacts, letters, drawings, and photographs, the exhibition powerfully illuminates the vibrant lives and communities of Austrian Jews before they were tragically uprooted by the horrors of the Holocaust.
The personal items on display—once seemingly mundane—are now imbued with deep significance, telling the stories of their owners and bearing witness to their plights. Some items took form to became cherished mementoes of loved ones who were murdered, while others testify to the perilous journeys of escape, the terror of incarceration, and the resilience of those who hid until liberation.
Yad Vashem Chairman, Dani Dayan, remarked:
“The artifacts in this exhibition are not merely remnants of a tragic past; they give voice to the millions silenced by the Holocaust. Each item tells a personal story of loss, survival, and resilience. By displaying them here in Austria, we underscore the vital importance of remembering the past. The fact that this exhibition is being held in the Austrian Parliament is a significant step in acknowledging Austria's role in these atrocities and demonstrates the country’s commitment to uphold the fact-based historical narrative of the Holocaust and its pledge to combat the resurgence of antisemitism today. We hope that any antagonistic and ominous factors, which threaten to reverse Austria backwards in these important areas will be met with strong, courageous and responsible leadership committed to overcoming these adversities.
Many of the artifacts included in the exhibition are traveling to Austria for the first time since their owners were forced to flee their homes adding a profound layer of meaning and highlighting the lasting impact of the Holocaust on Austria and its Jewish community.
Media is invited to attend the opening event at the Austrian Parliament. Please register in advance at medienservice@parlament.gv.at.
The Story Behind Photo Album from Yad Vashem's Collections:
Richard Finali was a gifted photographer and an experienced mountain climber. He lived at Geusaugasse 46/16 in Vienna with his wife, Auguste (Gusti), and their two daughters, Hannah and Eva.
Believing in the ideals of a just and equal society, Richard and Gusti were members of the Communist movement. Richard also joined the underground resistance against the Austrofascist regime in Austria.
After the Anschluss, he continued his underground activities, but the couple left the party to avoid drawing suspicion. The studio was eventually seized, leaving Richard without a livelihood. Unaware of his reasons for departing, his comrades within the party turned their backs on him, and during this time, the family faced significant financial hardship. Gusti managed to emigrate to England with their two young daughters, while Richard remained in Vienna.
"My mother recalled the farewell from her father, Richard, at the train station in Vienna. He was running alongside the train, waving, and all three inside the train waved back. As soon as he was out of sight, Gusti lowered her head and began to sob... They never saw him again." — Lotte Kreisler
On May 12, 1942, Richard Finali was deported to the Izbica camp in the Lublin region of Poland, where he was murdered. Gusti and their daughters remained in England until 1946, when they returned to Vienna.
Richard Finali's great grandson of, Tobias Brossmann, will participate in a special discussion together with Director of Yad Vashem's Artifacts Collections and Exhibition Curator Michael Tal as part of the exhibition opening ceremony. The "Torn from Life: The Fate of Austrian Jews After the Anschluss in 1938" exhibition will be on display from 15 October 2024 to 10 November 2024 at the Austrian Parliament.
