The Gusen concentration camp was established in December 1939. By the time it was liberated in May 1945, 71,000 prisoners from nearly 30 nations had been imprisoned there. Over half did not survive imprisonment in the camp.
On 8 March 2022, Federal Minister of the Interior Gerhard Karner and Barbara Glück, Director of the Mauthausen Memorial, officially announced the start of the expansion and redesign of the existing Gusen Memorial. The Republic of Austria had previously concluded the purchase of additional substantial plots of land on the site of the former Gusen concentration camp.
These newly-acquired plots of land are the sites of significant structural remains of the Gusen concentration camp, including the roll call area, the stone crusher and two SS administration buildings.
Layout of KZ Gusen 1945 (orange) and of Langenstein today. Green areas mark the recently purchased plots of land.
Graphics: heri&salli, adaptation: Markus Hechenberger
At present, necessary preservation and safety measures are being carried out by the Burghauptmannschaft Österreich. The aim of these is to preserve the structural remains dating from the time of the camp’s operation and improve safety for staff and visitors. A temporary fence therefore surrounds the site while this work is carried out.
Prior to this, the Mauthausen Memorial launched a participation process to get civil society involved in the redesign. The process worked with regional, national and international stakeholders to develop a mutually agreed master plan, which contains design and operational frameworks for the newly purchased plots of land. This then formed the basis for a design competition with the intention of creating a link to the existing Gusen Memorial. By inviting a diverse range of organisations from Austria and abroad contribute to this discussion process, the Mauthausen Memorial has pioneered a new approach to social participation in the culture of memory and politics of remembrance of the crimes of National Socialism.
A range of experts then drew on the masterplan for the redesign, as well as preliminary discussions and collected data, to prepare a design competition. Among other things, various options for sustainable public transport connections to and between the memorial sites in Gusen, the ‘Bergkristall’ tunnel complex and Mauthausen were explored. Mobility for individual visitors and groups, as well as necessary infrastructure adjustments, were also the subject of analysis and discussion.
With an amendment to the Memorials Act, the new plots of land were officially transferred to the Mauthausen Memorial on 1 January 2024. This allowed initial preparations for opening up the new sites to visitors to begin. Work in this area includes necessary organisational development, maintenance work and improvements to traffic safety and infrastructure for visitors.
In February 2024, comprehensive archaeological investigations were carried out on the former SS grounds of the Gusen concentration camp. This contributed to the documentation and preservation of historical heritage, while also forming an important foundation for the design of the new memorial site.
With the expansion of education programmes on offer at the Gusen Memorial, steps are being taken to increase visitor access to the new areas and develop new education formats.
November 2024 saw the opening of an information centre in the immediate vicinity of the existing memorial. Its main task is to provide information to the public about the ongoing development of the Gusen Memorial. Information on site also illustrate how Gusen has changed since 1945.
In future, operations at the memorial site are set to expand as the work on outdoor areas and facilities is completed. From this point onwards, It will be possible to visit the newly designed outdoor areas without a guide.
The aim of the redesign is to establish Gusen as a central place of European memory open to individual visitors and group tours alike. The memorial site will offer an overall concept that combines remembrance, education and encounter.
The aim is to create a contemporary place of remembrance that takes into account the operational requirements of a future memorial site and local conditions and needs.
The official advisory boards and bodies of the Mauthausen Memorial, in which all victim groups, victim nations and important national and international stakeholders are represented, are kept informed about upcoming developments.
National and international experts are involved in the content development process. The aim is to combine current research findings with the requirements of contemporary education work and memorial culture.
The Mauthausen Memorial is committed to transparent communication and all steps will be made public to ensure ongoing discussion and exchange of ideas.
Please share your feedback with us: info.gusen@mauthausen-memorial.org.
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