6/6/2007 - The Alpine Peace Crossing and an Appeal for Peace
Peace is very much in the minds of people these days. AFS is sponsoring the Peace Petition Drive which is open to all individuals and organizations at exchanges4peace.org.
But we are not the only ones who are concerned about the conflict and strife we observe on a day to day basis.
On recent visit to Switzerland I met with Ernst Löschner, the director of BNP Paribas Austria who told me about an extraordinary chapter in Austrian history involving Jewish refugees and their journey to freedom. This historical event has sparked the creation of a web site dedicated to the promotion of peace and awareness of the plight of refugees all over the world. Additionally, it has been the inspiration for a commemorative crossing of the Alps to observe the crossing’s anniversary.
I invite you to read about this extraordinary initiative and a message from Mr. Löschner directed to all the friends of AFS and all of us who wish for a more peaceful world.
Francisco “Tachi” Cazal
President and CEO
AFS International
The Alpine Peace Crossing and an Appeal for Peace
Ernst Löschner, the director of BNP Paribas Austria, could not have imagined what he was about to discover on a routine mountaineering trip in Austria during the summer of 2003. He was traveling with Paul Reider, a mountain guide through the Krimml Achen Valley (Achental) in the Hohe Tauern region, one of the most beautiful alpine valleys in Austria. When they arrived at the Krimml mountain lodge Paul Reider told him how in 1947, five thousand Jews crossed the Alps from Austria to Italy. They were fleeing pogroms and anti-Semitic persecution that still lingered in Europe.
This was a chapter in Austrian history that was little known and not well documented. Mr. Löschner decided that such an ordeal should not be forgotten and he dedicated many hours to research what had happened fifty-six years ago on that picturesque landscape.
Mr. Löschner states on the web site that was built to commemorate the event (alpinepeacecrossing.org) that:
“2007 marks the 60th anniversary of when 5,000 people decided to flee across the Krimml Tauern Mountain Range – a debilitating foot march of up to ten hours and involving a climb to over 2,600 meters (9.000 feet) – to South Tyrol and, later, onwards via Genoa to Palestine. Many had children with them, were inadequately equipped for the ordeal, extremely undernourished and in a state of desperation; despite the war having long been declared over, anti-Semitism was still very much alive – there was even another gruesome pogrom in 1946, this time in Kielce, Poland.
So the overriding desire was to attain a new freedom; hitherto firmly established roots and bonds of friendship were no longer perceived as strong enough to convey a sense of homeland. These so-called displaced persons had been shuttled around by truck from one “registration camp” to the next, until they reached the encampment “Givat Avoda” at Saalfelden, 70km south of Salzburg. From here, and in groups of up to 280, they were trucked by night to Krimml. On finally reaching the Krimmler Tauernhaus (Tauern Lodge) they were in a state of complete exhaustion.
Once there, however, their hopes and aspirations were quickly rekindled by the affection shown to them by the innkeeper, Liesl Geisler. ‘Whenever there were children around, she excelled as a genuine mother figure’ recalled Viktor Knopf, mountain guide from Zell am See. Without this loving care, the exertions required of these fugitives in crossing the Tauern Mountains the following night would doubtless have been infinitely more unbearable. Under these circumstances it would be much nearer the truth to refer to the events of 1947 as the ‘Flight of the Jews’ rather than a ‘Migration of the Jews’.
Ernst Löschner, had participated in an AFS program in 1961, when he traveled from his native Austria to Manhattan, Kansas. “ My AFS exchange experience opened my mind, eyes and heart to a whole new way perceiving the world,” said Mr. Löschner, “I learned to be accepting of the differences among people, their cultures and their religious beliefs. I experienced a tremendous amount of personal growth and felt that the experience influenced my life in a very positive way.” It was partly due to this increased understanding and appreciation of “others” that he felt compelled to make this historic episode better known around the world and to commemorate it with the “Alpine Peace Crossing” which will take place on Friday 29th June 2007.
Additionally, this event is linked to a wider “Appeal for Peace.” At the Alpine Peace Crossing’s web site you may add your “signature” to their online petition (alpinepeacecrossing.org) which reads:
“A Commemorative Crossing of the Krimml Tauern Mountain Range (from the Tauern Lodge near Krimml in the State of Salzburg to Kasern in South Tyrol/Alto Adige) will take place on 29th June 2007. This trek is in remembrance of the Flight of the Jews 1947 when 5,000 people subjected themselves to this ordeal in search of freedom; it is also dedicated to all those people who, at this very moment, find themselves on the run from political, racial or religious persecution, in whichever part of the world this is being inflicted.
Our message is one of peace. We share the fundamental principles behind this spiritual journey and send out an appeal to each and every individual to assist all those who may be categorized as “displaced persons”. Furthermore we particularly extend this appeal to every politician, indeed to all decision makers around the globe, to ensure that all persecuted persons be granted a new, dignified existence and, above all, not to tolerate the emergence of any circumstances which would force people to take flight .”
Please visit the web site to read more about this important commemoration and add your signature to the appeal.
A Message from Ernst Löschner
Dear AFS friends,
In 1947 5000 Jewish “Displaced Persons” fled across the Austrian Alps
(Krimmler Tauern-pass) to South Tyrol (Italy) and from there onwards to
Palestine. This crossing lasted up to 10 hours but it was their only
escape route. This historic event has been almost totally forgotten. It
was therefore my initiative to organize a spiritual ceremony in Krimml
on June 28 and a memorial crossing on June 29.
Please refer to our website (www.alpinepeacecrossing.org) regarding all programme details including a description of the events 1947. There is a fine partnership with the National Park Hohe Tauern Salzburg for this project and I am also pleased that my bank BNP Paribas has provided me with the financial means to arrange the programme.
You will notice in our homepage that State Presidents Heinz
Fischer (Austria) and Giorgio Napolitano (Italy) and also the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres have accepted the “Honorary Patronage” of our project, and that a “Honorary Committee” of distinguished international personalities will be formed. I am very pleased to inform you that Tachi Cazal, the President and CEO of AFS International is already a member of this Committee. He has confirmed that our project is fully consistent with the values of AFS. Please note also that we have included in our homepage a link to the AFS Foundation for Refugee Support.
Already at this stage there is wide international acceptance for our project, not only in Italy and Israel because of the historic dimension, but also in many other countries since the 7—8 hour step-by-step crossing of the Krimmler Tauern (on the same route as 60 years ago) is dedicated to all refugees in the world who have been forced to leave their homes.
Our programme is thus in essence a peace project. I would therefore be grateful if you would also support and sign our peace appeal and forward this mail to all who are important to you. In this way there is a chance of a broad response to our project, also with your help. Of course, if any of you could personally participate in our June 28-29 programme, especially the memorial crossing, this would be a particular pleasure.
Kind regards from Austria, Ernst Löschner AFS ‘61