Keys. Countless keys lie beneath the glass. These keys are not for opening doors. They unlock memories at the Schl\u00fcssel gegen das Vergessen – Servitengasse 1938 War memorial. This memorial stands as a stark reminder. It marks the tragic fate of Jewish residents. They lived in this very street.
The Schl\u00fcssel gegen das Vergessen is located at the intersection of Servitengasse and Gr\u00fcnentorgasse. It sits here in Servitenplatz. Look closely. You will see an installation encased in glass. A protective railing surrounds it.
In 2004, the B\u00fcrgerInnenprojektgruppe Servitengasse 1938 initiated a project. It researched the lives of Jewish people. These people were persecuted. They were murdered or deported. The project sought a memorial. It was to list the names of all victims. A competition was held. Students and graduates from the University of Applied Arts Vienna participated.
Julia Schulz’s design won. It is called Schl\u00fcssel gegen das Vergessen. The memorial was unveiled on April 8, 2008. The Keys Against Oblivion serves as a potent symbol.
426 keys represent Jewish residents and business owners. They were expelled from their homes in 1938. They were persecuted and killed. The keys symbolize the desire to remember them.
Of these people, 377 lived on Servitengasse. 85 had businesses here. 133 were killed in concentration camps. Only 5 survived. Each key bears a tag. Each tag has a name.
One name is Paul Goldschmidt. He was the father of Charles Kurt. Kurt attended the memorial’s inauguration. The Goldschmidt family lived at Servitengasse 6. In 1938, young Kurt was expelled from school for being Jewish. His family soon dissolved. His father was sent to Lemberg concentration camp. He was never heard from again after 1941.
Kurt’s mother was imprisoned without cause in 1938. After four months, she fled. She escaped to London and the United States. She reunited with her son in Houston, Texas. He had been transported to Brussels and New York. Charles even changed his name to Carl Heinz. Carl’s father initiated the search for former Servitengasse residents. Barbara Kintaert lived in their old apartment. She helped start this initiative.
The memorial is simple. It is tucked away on a street corner. Yet it holds a profound meaning. It tells a sad story. Many would prefer to erase it. The railing makes it visible. Its true essence remains hidden. It is concealed like the victims it commemorates.
The keys were donated by current residents. They once belonged to those forced to hand them over. They surrendered them to the Nazi regime. The last enamel sign company in Vienna produced the 462 nameplates. Julia Schulz herself assembled the keys. She attached the nameplates.
Since its unveiling, the Schl\u00fcssel gegen das Vergessen has become a focal point. People gather around it daily. Schools incorporate it into their curriculum. Parents use the keys to explain the horrors of the Shoah. Tourists visit. Descendants of survivors seek the keys of their relatives.
The Schl\u00fcssel gegen das Vergessen stands as a permanent testament. It honors those who were lost. It ensures that their stories are never forgotten. The keys invite us to reflect on the past. They urge us to build a future. This future is rooted in understanding and remembrance.