Consider this stone. It is more than just a marker. It is a memorial: the Alfred Ochshorn Plaque. Alfred Ochshorn was born here in Vienna on April 6, 1915. The plaque commemorates his life. It remembers his courageous fight against fascism.
Alfred Ochshorn grew up in the Karmelitermarktviertel. This is District Two. Even as a youth, he joined the Communist Party of Austria. In 1934, he went underground. From 1935 to 1938, he fought in the Spanish Civil War. He stood with the Republicans.
After the war, Ochshorn went into exile in France. There, he became a member of the Résistance. But in 1943, he was arrested. The Nazis sent him to Mauthausen concentration camp.
Alfred Ochshorn died on October 20, 1943. He was only 28 years old. A guard shot him during an escape attempt. His life ended far too soon.
This plaque stands in Haidgasse. It has been here since 1987. Denes Dembitz designed it. The plaque features a portrait relief of Alfred Ochshorn. It ensures that we do not forget his sacrifice. The inscription honors Alfred Ochshorn. It recognizes him as a student and fighter against fascism. He fought in Austria, Spain, and France. Like thousands in this district, he lived and died for freedom.
Alfred Ochshorn was involved in political actions. He joined the Rote Studenten as a student. During his graduation trip to France, he joined the International Brigades. He fought alongside the Spanish Republic against Franco’s fascist rebels. As a member of the Spanish Communist Party, he also worked as a speaker. He broadcast on the German Freedom Transmitter.
The Alfred Ochshorn Plaque is more than stone. It is a reminder. It ensures that his fight was not in vain. It calls us to stand against injustice. It urges us to value freedom. It tells us the story of Alfred Ochshorn.