Nachdenk.Zeit

There was much to do in 2021 and there is much to do in the years to come. Many stories of the situation and about what happend in Lockenhaus in the years before and during the war and the fate of many of the Jews expelled from the village in April 1938 still unknown. Last year, it was particularly touching to "get to know" Hermine Hacker. So little did we - the organisers of the commemoration week - know about her in the commemoration year 2018. Now we know where she lived in Vienna in the years 1938 - 1940 after her escape from Lockenhaus. From letters preserved it is known how she tried to prevent the confiscation of her property in Lockenhaus and in some files also preserved, it can be read that she was forced to leave for Litzmannsstadt (Poland).

January
For Holocaust Remembrance Day in January, a mailshot was sent to all households in Lockenhaus. As there are many victims of the Holocaust from Lockenhaus, this day (27 January) should also encourage people in Lockenhaus for a moment of reflection.

April
"Commemorate 20.4." On this date in 1938, Dr. Süss and all other Jewish people still living in Lockenhaus were expelled from the village. This date is therefore closely connected with the history of Lockenhaus. A" day of remembrance" in Lockenhaus.

July
Seven relatives of Moshe Stössel (born in Lockenhaus) were in Lockenhaus for a short visit in July. On the terasse in front of the former home of the Stössel family, we drank coffee and enjoyed vegan ice cream together, talking about the Jewish history of the village and about the future.

August
In the summer, a research at the Landesarchiv Burgenland in Eisenstadt was successful. Ruth Patzelt find data on Hermine Hacker, the grocery owner from Lockenhaus. It is now a sad certainty that Hermine Hacker was murdered in Poland in the Holocaust.

September
On 5.9 and 26.9 two tours of the Jewish history of the village took place in Lockenhaus. Denise Steiger and Ruth Patzelt led more than 50 people to the former Jewish houses in the village and told about the displaced families and their former life in Lockenhaus.
Like every year a letter was sent to the local council in September with Ruth Patzelt's suggestions and proposals for remembrance work in the village.

Ongoing during the year
The contacts with the descendants of Lockenhauser Emanuel Stössel in England, which have existed since 2019, still there.
The homepage shalom-lockenhaus.at was partially revised and expanded with facts and data on the latest findings.
The Facebook page "1938.2018 shalom.nachbar in Lockenhaus" has been continuously informing about current events and things relevant to Lockenhaus since its existence in 2018. News and information is regularly shared with other FB reminder pages.

November
Ruth Patzelt met with the very committed history teacher, Dipl-Päd. Ulreich Christine from the NMS Lockenhaus, to talk about the inclusion of the Jewish history of Lockenhaus in lessons and to offer support.
In Vienna, the Wall of Names for the Austrian Victims of the Shoa, is open to the public since November. All the Names of the Shoa victims from Lockenhaus (as far as known) are written on this wall.

December
A Call from the Lockenhaus municipal office: the political community is considering a memorial project for the actor Ludwig Stössel, who was born in Lockenhaus. Other contents of the "September letter" are also discussed on the phone. Unfortunately, this is not discussed at the last municipal council meeting before Christmas.

By the way, the hedge - in front the memorial in Lockenhaus - is still as high as ever.

Outlook 2022
Holocaust Memorial Day, 27 January
Gedenk! Memorial Day in Lockenhaus, 20 April
European Day of Jewish Culture, 4 September
Silent Remembrance, 9 November

Shalom from Lockenhaus!