From Austria to Canada: My Journey as a Memorial Servant
My name is Paul Brandacher, and I am a 19-year-old memorial servant at the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre (VHEC). Growing up in a small town in Tyrol, I was consistently exposed to the history of the Holocaust and World War II, both in school and at home, where my mother, a student of political science and contemporary history, shared her knowledge of our family history with me. My grandmother, who was born in 1931 and spent her childhood living through the war, was also a formative figure in my early education. She shared with me memories of her childhood as well as the experiences of her parents. This transmission of knowledge and history instilled in me a responsibility to contribute towards redemption of past atrocities committed within my nation’s history and this is why I chose to serve.
For those who are not familiar with the education system in Austria, mandatory military service continues to be required after high school for all young men. However, alternative service options are offered. For example, you can opt to do social service instead. This social service can be carried out in Austria, for instance , as a medic at the Austrian Red Cross, or abroad, such as a memorial service. I have chosen this latter option which has brought me all the way here to Canada.
Before embarking on service abroad, extensive preparation is required and preparatory efforts include the reading of books, listening to testimonies and watching films and documentaries, as well as participating in online conferences. I personally found that ,the most crucial preparation effort was attending in-person seminars and study trips. Therefore, I immediately signed up for the Gedenkdienst (Memorial Service) Seminar hosted by my organization, the Austrian Service Abroad, near the concentration camp Mauthausen.
Following this experience, I had the opportunity to participate in a Holocaust Study Trip to Poland, which I and a few other service members embarked on. I must say, the Poland Holocaust Study Trip altered some of my views on life and how I will live it. For the past 5 months, I have worked for the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation in Oswiecim (Auschwitz), Poland, as well as at their New York City Office. Living and working in the vicinity where one of the biggest atrocities of the 20th century against humans occurred was truly eye-opening. The time working there really showed me how important Holocaust remembrance is, now more than ever, with the surge in antisemitism all over the world. During my time at the AJCF, I conducted guided tours in both German and English through the Jewish Museum, the synagogue, the city, and the Jewish cemetery. Most groups comprised German school classes, but I also hosted groups from companies such as ThyssenKrupp, as well as from Canadian and American universities, along with Austrian groups. Apart from guiding groups, I also had to conduct research, translation, and various administrative tasks.
During my final two weeks working for the AJCF, I had the opportunity to travel to New York and work with the US Director, Aviva Miller. While there, I met with cadets from the American Service Academies Program and discussed their experiences, as well as what the upcoming class of ASAP cadets can expect during their visit and how they can prepare for it. Additionally, I had the chance to meet with two survivors of the Nova Festival and engage in conversations about their harrowing experiences. That meeting deeply affected me, especially considering they are my age. I found it hard to accept the reality of what they had endured due to the vicious attack by the terrorist group Hamas. I also met with the Austrian Consul General in New York to discuss my work in Poland and my upcoming plans. She expressed the importance of the work done by memorial servants and thanked me for my service.
Most notably, between New York and Vancouver, I met with one of my Jewish friends who shared with me her observations at her university, where she noted an increase in incidents of antisemitism and instances of mezuzahs being ripped off door frames. This only reaffirmed my determination to make an impact in Holocaust education here in Canada.
