Raul Hilberg's 100th Birthday: A Commemorative Symposium and City Walk in Vienna

This event commemorates the 100th birthday of Holocaust researcher Raul Hilberg, featuring a city walk through his Viennese neighbourhood and a hybrid symposium. The event will explore his significant contributions to Holocaust studies and trace his personal history, highlighting future remembrance possibilities and new research perspectives.

On June 2, 2026, the Vienna Wiesenthal Institute for Holocaust Studies (VWI) and collaborators will host a commemoration for Raul Hilberg on what would have been his 100th birthday. The event, titled 'Raul Hilberg zum 100. Geburtstag / In Memory of Raul Hilberg on His 100th Birthday,' includes both a physical city walk and a hybrid symposium. The city walk, focusing on Hilberg's childhood in Vienna's Brigittenau district, will be led by local historians, while the symposium will feature academic presentations on his life, work, and impact on Holocaust research. Participants will delve into his scholarly contributions, his personal journey of flight from Vienna, and the extermination of his family members during the Nazi era. The event aims to discuss future ways of remembering Raul Hilberg in Vienna and to explore emerging research avenues related to his seminal work. The detailed schedule includes a morning city walk exploring Raul Hilberg's Brigittenau, followed by an afternoon symposium at the VWI's Research Lounge. The symposium features scholars such as René Schlott, Elisabeth Gallas, Jerold Jacobson, Doris Bergen, and Elizabeth Anthony, who will discuss Hilberg's academic journey, his research methodologies, his role as a teacher, and his connection to Vienna. A roundtable discussion with various institutional representatives will conclude the event, focusing on how to commemorate Raul Hilberg and his significance for Holocaust research in Vienna. Registration is required by May 29, 2026.

The event includes a city walk and a hybrid symposium. Registration is required by May 29, 2026. Details on online participation via Zoom are provided, and attendees are asked to bring a valid ID if attending in person. By participating, attendees consent to the publication of photos, video, and audio recordings made during the event.