King Felipe and Letizia: Commemoration in Mauthausen expects 20,000 participants!

King Felipe and Letizia: Commemoration in Mauthausen expects 20,000 participants!

King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia travel to Austria on May 11, 2025. The reason for their trip is the international liberation celebration at the Mauthausen concentration camp memorial. How Mercury reports, the commemoration ceremony has the motto “Together for ‘Never again!”’ and will be attended by numerous internationally prominent guests, including Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen.

The celebration aims to remember the crimes of National Socialism and to set an example for peace, democracy and human rights. Over 20,000 people who will take part in the event are an impressive sign of shared remembrance. In addition to survivors and relatives, numerous young people are also there to underline the importance of remembrance.

Historical context

Spain has a special historical connection to Mauthausen, as approximately 7,000 Republican Spaniards were deported to the concentration camp during World War II. How Mauthausen Memorial Further informed, only about a third of these deportees were rescued by the US Army on May 5, 1945. This legacy is an important part of the commemoration and underlines the historical responsibility we bear.

The central ceremony is themed “80 Years of Liberation – Together for Never Again” and is a forum that not only deals with the past, but also with current challenges such as anti-Semitism and authoritarian tendencies. Around 60 employees of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp Memorial are involved in the organization and implementation of the celebrations.

Program of the celebration

The international liberation celebration is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. Before the central ceremonies, individual acts of remembrance take place in various areas of the memorial, including the monument park and at historical points. The highlights of the celebration include the arrival of international delegations and a visit to relevant exhibitions.

• Besondere Ehrung der Überlebenden: Hana Berger Mora, Mark Olsky, Eva Clarke
• Geburtstagsfeier im Besucher*innenzentrum unter dem Motto „Mir lebn eybik“
• Pädagogisches Rahmenprogramm mit kostenlosen Rundgängen in neun Sprachen ab 14:00 Uhr
• Sonderausstellung „Wege in die Freiheit“ seit Januar 2025
• Künstler Judy Mardnli ansprechbar zwischen 9:00 und 11:00 Uhr

King Felipe, who is currently in the Dominican Republic, will lead the celebrations in Mauthausen. In his last speech, he emphasized the importance of the rule of law for the protection of human dignity and democratic coexistence. Queen Letizia will certainly also be the center of attention on this emotional day, especially since she was able to see her daughter again after a long separation.