Mauthausen has a more infamous dark past

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30thSeptember - 1st October......Mauthausen via St Florian.......

I went off the main R1 Danube Trail to visit the Augustinian Abbey at St Florian. St Florian was a Roman who converted to Christianity and was drowned in the Enns River. I know, I know....God works in mysterious ways. The church itself is full-on baroque from the 17C on a grand scale. Think Big.
I found Mauthausen an interesting town and enjoyable to relax in. The old part is not large and looks pretty from the other side of the river where I was tucked in a deciduous forest. The trail swaps a bit from different sides of the river and in large stretches is on both sides. That's a lot of paving. The English Headmaster gives advice on which side is preferable. Most times there are bridges and sometimes private ferry boats, which is what I took to get to the other side. It's a nice way to arrive somewhere (1.5 Euro). Cafes spill out from their 17C - 18C buildings into the sunshine and busy with more cyclists that I have seen so far. I tried 4 places to stay (not really a problem when you can scoot around on a bike and look at the town on the way) before I ended up in a large converted farm house with central courtyard. (Large double room, nicely decked out in natural timbers and chrome - $45 See photo below)

I had a fantastic pizza that night from a middle eastern place and had a bit of a chat with a guy from Syria who was interested in my bike. I would have thought with an affluent bike culture, my bike would not be a novelty to them. I see people look at it as they cycle past or stop and stare for ages when its locked up alone on some post. Now Mauthausen has a more infamous dark past, not long ago really, when ovens were used for another purpose. Austria by no means was squeaky clean when it came to the goings on of the war and I'm sure the people in the town knew what was coming out of those chimney stacks on top of the hill. But they were difficult times and I am not judging. People have said that somehow even the sun shone differently in those days. I was not going to visit the concentration camp, having visited one in Germany some 30 yrs ago now. I've had my fair share of seeing dead withered bodies and piles of old shoes and cases. I'm glad I did though. The location is superb, atop a hill overlooking farm land and an extensive park with mammoth sculptures. There is a path leading down to the quarry below where so many undeserved, worked to their death, dying attempting to carry large rocks (with minimal sustenance) to the top. I spent a good part of a day at the camp, initially just taking in the sculptures and location in reflection of what had happened there. The sculptures are contributions made from different countries to acknowledge the Italian, Spanish, Jewish, Polish etc that died and suffered here. It is interesting to see how different countries have viewed their representation.

The entrance to the camp initially is in a new section that is partly dug into the hill. It is deliberately devoid of distractions and beautifully bleak. They have done the whole preservation of the site very well in that they are not just trying to maintain a site but allow it to have its own life in a respectful way. School groups go there. It was interesting seeing large groups of young people, including one group of 'Gothics' with the same expressions and body language that I shared - still face, set mouth, quiet, often arms crossed. You know the history. This is one of the places it actually happened.

You are getting so many blogs at the moment because the internet is free where I am staying in Budapest. Yes! I have arrived, completing the stretch of the Danube that I set myself as a goal. Budapest is full on architecture and reminds me of Buenos Aires more than any other city. It still sunny days here. I've only had one day of rain since I've been away.

Cheers
Pedallingpete

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Photos

Chemist Sign, Mauthausen
Signs don't have to be ugly

Sculpture at Mauthausen Concentration Camp
This is the Jewish Community's contribution

THE Gaskammer Door
Who looked through that hole to see what was happening inside?

Comments

[silvana]

Amazing!
Dear Peter, I am so amazed at your journey! I wish i was there really. Have a beautiful time! Love Silvana

[Pedallingpete]

Amazing!
Hi Silvana Yep it's all here everyday as we plug away at work and home in Adelaide