Holocaust survivor portraits attacked in Vienna

The "Lest We Forget" exhibition features 200 photographic portraits of Jewish, Sinti, and Roma people as well as others persecuted under the Nazi regime. The works have been on display in the center of Vienna since early May. During the night following the European elections, unknown assailants attacked some of the images.

German-Italian photographer and exhibition organizer Luigi Toscano spent over a year meeting with Holocaust survivors living in the US, Germany, Ukraine, Israel, and Russia. After the attacks, he expressed his dismay with a post on Facebook, asking: "Austria, what's wrong with you?"

Only a few hours after the crime, several organizations, including Muslim Youth Austria, launched a campaign to repair and protect the series. Volunteers were able to sew the damaged works back together within a few hours.

The efforts of the rescue operation are impressive: Now the only traces of the damage that remain are red stitches. But even before this incident, the exhibition had been attacked two times. Two days after the launch, several photos were slashed with a knife but the damage was not as great.

The images, which have been installed in public squares and parks in 13 cities worldwide, will now be guarded around the clock in Vienna. Several Viennese Muslims are attending the night vigils. In the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, they want to do something good for their community. It is also an opportunity to break the fast together.

Until the exhibition finshes at the end of the month, young Muslims, as well contemporaries from the Catholic Caritas organization and the nesterva artists' collective, want to stay on site to protect the pictures. Mayor of Vienna, Michael Ludwig (3rd from right) also attended the vigil. He thanked the helpers and spoke of a "beautiful sign of civil society."

The head of the Young Caritas, Alice Uhl, is torn. On the one hand, she is overwhelmed by the outpouring of assistance but on the other hand, she is ashamed that the portraits were defaced: "The exhibition has never been attacked so often — and damaged so badly — as it has been in Austria. It is unacceptable! It's important to me that we're here together to take a stand against this."

At least one good thing has come from the attacks: The exhibition is now attracting more and more visitors because of the vigil guarding it, and the media presence. Toscano is looking ahead to the exhibition's next venues. The series of portraits have gone on display in public spaces in Berlin, Ukraine, and the US.