Jewish Cemetery Vienna Währing
The year 2020 has arrived and it is time to report on the activities of the association in 2019.
The cooperation with the Isrealite Religious Community was successfully continued and expanded in 2019. The association is now a tenant of the first floor premises in the Tahara House. Guided tours will start from there and the museum will be located there.
In 2019, two cemetery tours were held on each of twelve weekends. In total, we were able to inform 1013 visitors . In addition, 211 people visited the cemetery without a guided tour.
The first-time participation in the Monument Day on September 29, 2019 was also a great success. A total of 762 people took advantage of the opportunity for a free tour.
On the occasion of the opening of the exhibition “The Ephrussis. A Journey through Time” at the Jewish Museum Vienna, Alex de Waal visited the grave of the progenitor of the Ephrussi dynasty Joachim Ephrussi (+ 1864 Vienna) on November 5, 2019 in the presence of our association spokeswoman Jennifer Kickert.
Over coffee in downtown Vienna, 90-year-old Victor de Waal told us his memories as a child at Palais Ephrussi in Vienna.
As part of a proponent tour under the expert guidance of genealogist Georg Gaugusch , Chancellor Dr. Brigitte Bierleinalso visited us on November 10, 2019.
Without the volunteer work at the cemetery site would be unthinkable redevelopment
This is impressively visible in test area 3, which was refurbished in 2019. A total of 297 people have been involved in volunteering in 2019.
Test Area 3 on Jan. 12, 2020, after regular clearing by volunteers and archaeological processing by the Chancellor’s Office. After approval by the rabbinate, the tombstones are placed by stonemasons.
Test Area 3 on Jan. 12, 2020, after regular clearing by volunteers and archaeological processing by the Chancellor’s Office. After approval by the rabbinate, the tombstones are placed by stonemasons.
Deployment of the Austrian Armed Forces from 11-15 November 2019
The rear part of the cemetery towards Döblinger Hauptstraße had not been cleared for several years and therefore became more and more overgrown.
At the request of our association chairman Günther Havranek, the Austrian Armed Forces could be won for a clearing operation on the cemeteries 15 to 20 in November 2019.
32 Viennese Pioneer and Guard soldiers helped with cutting and clearing work. They remove wild growth and made paths clear again.
A visit by the Minister of Defense, Mag. Thomas Starlinger, was also on the agenda.
Now, for the first time, a complete view over the cemeteries 15 to 20 is possible again.
Public Relations
It is thanks to the efforts of the association that ORF III made the film “Ein Glanz von Ringstraße – Der jüdische Friedhof Währing” , which was shown on 12.11.2019.
The homepage project launched in 2018 was successfully completed in summer 2019. Now people interested in the cemetery can get current information via the internet (www.jued-friedhof18.at).
The logo was relaunched and the external appearance of the association was professionalized.
In addition, film clips were repeatedly shot by domestic and foreign television stations and guided tours for journalists were offered.
Proponents
An essential part of the association’s work is the search for proponents who support the association with their expertise, their network or financially. Prominent personalities from the worlds of business, culture, art, religion and politics have once again been recruited as supporters in 2019.
Proponents Renate Anderl, Dr. Hannes Androsch, Dr. Harry Bergmann, Dr. Brigitte Bierlein, Eva Blimlinger, Wolfgang Böck, Martin Böhm, Univ.Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Brandstetter, Aric Brauer, Dr. Emil Brix, Prof. Dr. Michael Bünker, Shlomit Butbul, Dr. Herbert Cordt, Oskar Deutsch, Dr. Christoph Dichand, Mercedes Echerer, Klaus Edelhauser, Mag. Karoline Edtstadler, Erhard Ernst, Werner Faymann, Dr. Annemarie Fenzl, Dr. Günter Geyer, Tania Golden, Roman Grinberg, KommRat Peter Hanke, Dr. Michael Häuptl, Miguel Herz-Kestranek, Oliver Hirschbiegel, Prof. Dr. Josef Höchtl, Dr. Wolfgang Hofer, Univ.Prof. Dr. Clemens Jabloner, Wolfgang Jansky, UnivProf. Dr. Ulrich Jordis, Patricia Kahane, Josef Kalina, Wolfgang Katzian, Ing. Ewald Kirschner, Prof. Dr. Raoul Kneucker, Mag. Thomas Kralinger, Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, DDr. Michael Landau, Dr. Michael Ludwig, Martina Ludwig-Faymann, Dr. Harald Mahrer, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Dr. Esther Mitterstieler, Harald Neumann, Beatrix Neundlinger, Rainer Nowak, Univ.Prof. Dr. Edwald Nowotny, Dr. Christian Nusser, Cornelius Obonya, Dr. Josef Ostermayer, Hermann Petz, Caroline Pienkos, DDr. Horst Pirker, DI Josef Pröll, Dr. Johanna Rachinger, Christian Rainer, Dr. Claus Raidl, Mag. Johannes Reiss, Mag. Marie Ringler, DI Walter Ruck, Mag. Andreas Schieder, Mag. Martin Schlaff, Mag. Dr. Heide Schmidt, Richard Schmitt, Rabbi Arthur Schneider, HR Dr. Karl Schütz, Peter Schöber, E. Randol Schoenberg, Dr. Kurt Scholz, Dr. Timothy Smolka, Mag. Wolfgang Sobotka, Dr. Georg Springer, MMag. Oliver Stauber, Dr. Dwora Stein, Cardinal Dr. Christoph Schönborn, Alois Steinbichler, Erwin Steinhauer, Katharina Stemberger, Mag. Terezija Stojsits, Ing. Karl-Heinz Strauss, Dr. Josef Taus, Dr. Paul Tesarek, Dr. Andreas Treichl, Armin Thurnher, Univ.Prof. Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen, Dr. Anton Wais, Judith Weinmann, Christiane Wenkheim, Dr. Alexander Wrabetz, DI Wolfgang Zehetner.
Statement of accounts 2019
The activities of the association in the past calendar year from Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2019, are also reflected in the income and expenses. The total income of EUR 57,628.65 is offset by expenses of EUR 27,480.82. As of December 31, 2019, the association has liquid funds in the amount of EUR 53,095.47 which are available for financing future projects (see Outlook 2020).
Outlook 2020
- Seeking and awarding cultural sponsorships for individual grave monuments as an expression of cultural responsibility or in memory of relatives buried here.
- For 2020, the association has set itself the goal of raising funds to finance the renovation of test area 4 and 5 (estimated at around EUR 100,000) in front of the Tahara House. As with test area 3, the weeds are to be permanently removed, rootstocks are to be milled out, the humus layer is to be leveled, and after approval by the Rabbinate, the erection and fixing of the gravestones is to begin.
- Furthermore, the main paths of the cemetery are to be repaired with the support of PORR AG. The cost of this is estimated at EUR 50,000.00.
- Collecting donations at home and abroad to finance the above renovation works.
- Development of a museum concept and implementation of the museum in the Tahara House including application for donation deductibility at the tax office
- Continuation of Volunteer Days (dates: March 8, April 5, May 10, June 14, July 12, August 9, September 13, October 4, November 1).
- Monthly Cemetery Tours (Dates: February 9, March 8, April 5, May 10, June 14, July 12, August 9, September 13, October 4, November 8, December 13).
Imprint:
Media owner and publisher: Verein Rettet den Jüdischen Friedhof Währing; Goldschmiedgasse 10, 1010 Vienna
Contributions: Andrea Schellner, M.A.; Photos: Andrea Schellner, M.A.
Published once a year
Board of Directors: Chairman Günther W. Havranek, Deputy Chairman KommR. Karl Javurek, Deputy Chairman Dr. Ariel Muzicant, Director for Monument Protection/Care Dr. Gerbert Frodl, Secretary Dr. Jennifer Kickert, Treasurer Mag. Andrea Schellner, Director for Museum Operations Dr. Susanne Schober-Bendixen, Director for Religious Affairs Mag. Elie Rosen
Basic direction of the medium: restoration of the Währing Jewish Cemetery; raise funds to be used for the structural preservation of the cemetery grounds. Responsible: Günther W. Havranek
Download the report as PDF: Activity Report-2019.pdf
