In the following I want to give you a first glimpse at the ceremony at Yad Vashem (Jerusalem) on August 19th 2010, which commemorated the vanished Jewish community of Laa an der Thaya. The labyrinth-like „Valley of Communities“ is made of light-yellow Jerusalem-stone and commemorates the extinguished Jewish communities all over Europe. Guests from the USA, Austria, Germany and Israel came to attend the day, which started at 9 AM at the Valley of communities and ended at 4: 30 PM in Ramat Rachel, near Jerusalem.
The day started at 9 AM in the Valley of Communities, when the last person born into the Jewish community of Laa together with 3rd-generation representatives of the Österreicher und Yokel Familiy from Laa, lay down a wreath next to the engraving. Then I (Magdalena Müllner) gave a short speech and read out the family names of the Jewish families of Laa. Then a survivor said the Caddish and a cantor concluded the first part of the event with „El Maleh Rahamim“.
After a guided tour through the new Museum and refreshments, the early afternoon program continued in the synagogue of Yad Vashem. After Ms. Caplan, the director of The International School for Holocaust Studies (who represented Yad Vashem), Mr. Gideon Eckhaus, chairman of the central committee of Jews from Austria in Israel gave his address. Mr. Franz Muellner, chairman of our society, gave a talk in which he looked back on the long way from denying the Jewish community of Laa to the founding of the society and the erection of the memorial in Laa. The city of Laa was represented by vice mayor Brigitte Ribisch, which granted in her moving address that the town Laa wants to commemorate its former Jewish citizens and welcomes their descendants. She stressed that the town government is aware that the engraving in the Valley of Communities means that Laa is included in the list of formerly important Jewish communities and that the town government wants to face its responsibility that comes from this honor. Mag. Gabriele Feigl, cultural attaché of the Austrian embassy, gave the last address. The singer Betty Klein provided the musical frame for the ceremony in the synagogue.
The last part of the day was the lunch at Ramat Rachel near Jerusalem, where several survivors and representatives of former Jewish families from Laa held speeches. It was a very special day and I am thankful that so many guests came from near and far. It is remarkable that so many people from the grandchildren-generation of the survivors were present. I thank Yad Vashem and all who came and made this day as special as it was.
Speeches
Lots of speeches were given on this memorable day. Thanks to Michael Nagel we were able to record them and so I can present them here to you.
Click on "Listen here!" to listen to the speeches
To give you a better overview I have broken up the very large list of speeches into three parts. Here you can listen to three speeches given at the Valley of Communities. This was the core of the ceremony since the engraving of Laa an der Thaya is on this spot.
Listen here!
This part presents the six speeches to you that were given at the Synagogue of Yad Vahsem. This synagogue is part of the education complex of Yad Vashem and is home to some very precious artifacts from European synagogues, which were rescued from the Holocaust by survivors and donated to Yad Vahem.
Listen here!
The last part of this memoriable day happened in Ramat Rachel, a place on the other side of Jerusalem, where the Society of Austrian Israelis hosted a lunch for all participants of the ceremony. Here the families of Laa had the chance to give speeches. While eating delicious food we had the chance of listening to the speeches and talking to old and new friends.
Listen here!
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