Ulrichsberg gathering

The Ulrichsberg gathering is an annual reunion for veterans of the Nazi Wehrmacht and Waffen SS held at the Ulrichsberg mountain in Austria. Since 1958, it has been held each year on the first Sunday of October. The purpose of the gathering is to commemorate those who were killed in the Second World War and their "decent fulfilment of their duties" as soldiers. [http://www.u-berg.at/texte/searchlight.htm The Ulrichsberg gathering ... the peace they stand for - Wo geht's hier zum Ulrichsberg? - Translations, July 2006 ] retrieved 15 September 2008]

At the entrance, the old SS slogan "Die Ehre Unserer Soldaten Heisst Treue" (the honour of our soldiers is their loyalty) is carved in large elaborate letters on the wall. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/europe/952368.stm BBC Monday, 2 October, 2000 - Haider defends Nazi army veterans] , retrieved 15 September 2008] One of the particular features of the Ulrichsberg memorial site is the so-called "Ehrenhain" (Grove of Honour) where one can find several plaques with commemorative inscriptions and armorial symbols, among theme one for the Kameradschaft IV, several for the "Kameradschaft ehemaliger Gebirgsjäger" (the association of former Wehrmacht mountain troops), some from a number of units of so called "Freiwilligen" (volunteers) and the Wehrmacht from different countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Italy, Spain, and Latvia.

The event has drawn international criticism as a festival for old Nazis that serves as a feeding ground for neo-Nazis. The Austrian politician and long-time leader of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ). Jörg Haider disagrees and spoke at the gathering in year 2000: "It can't be so that the history of our fathers and grandparents, due to dubious commentaries, is reduced to a single catalogue of crimes, and that the part they played in history is just thrown back in their faces," he said to great applause. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2000/oct/02/austria.kateconnolly Haider embraces SS veterans. The Guardian, Monday October 2 2000] , retrieved 15 September 2008]

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