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TwitterA Place of Encounter: The Austrian Parliament hosts Café Centropa
Yesterday, at the invitation of the Second President of the National Council, Peter Haubner, a special event took place in Parliament: the Café Centropa – Jewish Senior Citizens' Club, a long-standing meeting place for Holocaust survivors, came together for a get-together at the Austrian seat of democracy. As the Vienna City Temple is currently unavailable due to renovation work, Parliament provided an ideal setting for this monthly meeting.
Dialogue and a living culture of remembrance
The Managing Board of the National Fund, Hannah Lessing and Judith Pfeffer, also attended the event. The National Fund has a long-standing partnership with the Cafè Centropa project, which it has been funding and supporting for many years.
The afternoon focused on personal exchanges and passing on memories to younger generations. President Haubner emphasised the importance of this initiative for the very fabric of democracy:
‘Remembrance is a mission for our present and future. It shapes our democratic identity and calls on us to remain vigilant. Initiatives such as Café Centropa make an important contribution to strengthening Parliament as a place of living remembrance and making Jewish life more visible.
Background: A second home since 2006
Café Centropa was founded in July 2006 by the Centropa Association, headed by Tanja Eckstein. Since then, Holocaust survivors have been meeting once a month – gatherings that have long since become indispensable for the senior citizens, most of whom are now in their mid to late 80s or older.
Over the years, the café has become an almost family-like environment. It is a place where people can chat, find companionship and celebrate Jewish holidays such as Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah together – for many, the only opportunity to celebrate these festivals as part of a community. In addition to the monthly meetings, regular phone calls and visits are also an essential part of the care provided to support members in their everyday lives.
The next generation is continuing the legacy
Another important aspect of Café Centropa's work is the involvement of the next generation. Many children of survivors now take part in the meetings. In conversations with schoolchildren, they pass on their parents' stories, build bridges and help others understand what it means to grow up as a child of survivors.
The meeting in Parliament was therefore not only signalled profound appreciation for the survivors, but also a firm commitment to the continuation of remembrance work by subsequent generations.