Austria honours Nazis’ victims as it commemorates 75th anniversary of annexation by Germany

VIENNA – Austria’s chancellor has urged fellow Austrians to strive to prevent a return of the political climate that allowed Nazi atrocities, in comments marking Germany’s annexation of Austria 75 years ago.

Werner Faymann joined other government leaders, religious dignitaries and survivors of Hitler’s era at Vienna’s Central Cemetery to unveil a plaque honouring the thousands of Austrians killed by the Nazis for opposing them, before and after the so-called “Anschluss.”

He said Monday that Austrians “have to do their utmost” to prevent a repeat of such crimes by actively supporting democracy and standing up against racism and fascism.

Austrians have moved in recent decades from the widely held postwar belief that they were Germany’s victims to acceptance that they participated in Nazi atrocities.