THE LONG SHADOW. 12 MARCH 1938

YouTube Premiere 
FROM KREISKY'S LIVING ROOM

Helene Maimann in conversation with Philipp Blom

12 March 1938 has inscribed itself in world history and in world memory. „In my life,“ writes Carl Zuckmayer in his memoirs, „I had seen a lot of human unleashing, horror and panic. None of it could be compared to these days in Vienna. The city was transformed into a nightmare painting by Hieronymus Bosch.
What was unleashed here was an uprising of envy, resentment, bitterness, blind, malicious vindictiveness - and all other voices were condemned to silence.“ To this day, these days in March still characterise the image of Austria under Nazi rule.

What remains of this March 1938, of the annexation of Austria to the German Reich, Hitler in Vienna, violence, terror and euphoria on the streets? Days of horror for some, of resignation and hope for others? The lives of Austrians were turned upside down from one day to the next. A rift in time. Is that what those March days were? And if so, haven't the 83 years since then long since erased this rift from people's memories, especially those of the young? Has it disappeared into the alluvial sand of the enormous changes in the world since then and only emerged on certain days of remembrance? Or are they still present in the undercurrent of our lives?

Helene Maimann, historian, is a freelance author, curator and filmmaker and teaches at the Film Academy of the University of Music and Performing Arts.
Philipp Blom, studied philosophy, history and Jewish studies in Vienna and Oxford. He lives as a writer and historian in Vienna.