1942, Auschwitz: The Beginning of Mass Murder from Vienna’s Aspangbahnhof

This online exhibition explores the history of the Aspangbahnhof in Vienna, a site from which over 47,000 Jews were deported between 1939 and 1942, with many trains heading to Auschwitz and other concentration camps. It details the role of figures like Adolf Eichmann in organizing these mass deportations, highlighting the beginning of mass murder from within the city.

The online presentation titled '1942, Auschwitz – The Beginning of Mass Murder in the Middle of the City' delves into the tragic history of Vienna's Aspangbahnhof. Between 1939 and 1942, this station served as a departure point for the deportation of more than 47,000 Jewish individuals by the Nazi regime. The destinations included Theresienstadt, various ghettos, and concentration and extermination camps across occupied Eastern Europe, with a direct train route to Auschwitz. The profound loss of life is underscored by the fact that only 1,073 of those deported from Aspangbahnhof survived the Shoah, a period referred to by survivors as the "Time without Mercy." Central to the meticulous organization of this mass murder was Adolf Eichmann, a figure who grew up in Linz and joined the Austrian NSDAP in 1933. The historical context provided highlights the role of specific locations and individuals in the systematic persecution and genocide of European Jews during World War II. The content is accompanied by historical photographs, including one of the memorial at Aspangbahnhof during its opening.