“Lives Remembered Out Loud”: Collaborative Project for Holocaust Remembrance Day 2026 at the Jewish Museum Vienna

On 22 January 2026, the project “Lives Remembered Out Loud” will be launched to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In partnership with the National Fund, the Jewish Museum Vienna will be transformed into a place for active reflection and listening. At the heart of the event will be the life stories featured in the Funds’s “Erinnerungen/Lives Remembered” book series.

With the passing of the last contemporary witnesses, we are faced with the challenge of keeping the history of the Holocaust and the Shoah alive and within reach for future generations. This is where the project “Lives Remembered Out Loud” comes in: it gives a voice to the written accounts and invites us to pause and reflect on the personal fates of those affected.

The book series “Lives Remembered: Life Stories of Victims of National Socialism”

The texts in these readings are taken from the National Fund's extensive book series. For many years, the Fund has been documenting the lives of those persecuted by the Nazi regime. These accounts are much more than historical documents; they are a lasting legacy which is now being brought to life as part of the project.

Discover all volumes of the series online: The "Lives Remembered" series comprises numerous volumes of personal biographies and letters. An overview and ordering options can be found here: The book series “Erinnerungen/Lives Remembered”.

A reading stage at the museum, open to all

From 22 January to 17 February 2026, the Project Space in the atrium of the Jewish Museum Vienna (Dorotheergasse) will become an open stage. On six dates, renowned actors from famous Viennese theatres (including the Burgtheater, Volkstheater and Schauspielhaus) will read excerpts from survivors’ memoirs.

At the same time, the space will offer people the opportunity for individual reflection: visitors are invited to peruse the volumes of the “Lives Remembered” book series laid out by the National Fund – either on their own or in a group discussion.

Dates and contributors

Admission to all readings is free. Registration/booking is possible but not necessary.

Hinweis

A project of the Jewish Museum Vienna in cooperation with the National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism. With the kind support of the Burgtheater, Schauspielhaus Wien and Volkstheater.