Salzburg’s ex-mayor Heinz Schaden publishes first book
“The Great Escape 2015” is the title of the recently published book by ex-city boss Heinz Schaden. The former city chief documents the events of the refugee crisis six years ago.
On the night of September 1, 2015, thousands of refugees were stranded at the main train station in Salzburg. Many of them only had one goal: Germany. Salzburg became a hotspot for refugees for weeks. 350,000 people cross the border into Germany via Salzburg in seven months. Heinz Schaden was then mayor (SPÖ) in office. Now he has summarized his memories of the great wave of refugees in a book. It is a report that shows events from the perspective of a key decision-maker in the city. With extensive photo material, reports and personal notes, the band gave insights into the events of 2015.
For this documentation, the former mayor also conducted interviews with people who were active during the refugee crisis: the then Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner, ÖBB boss Christian Kern, military commander Heinz Hufler, city police commander Manfred Lindenthaler, deputy state rescue commander Bernd Petertill, Doraja Eberle and ORF Middle East correspondent Jörg Winter.
“Migration is only seen as a threat”
Heinz Schaden emphasizes: “The great escape 2015 to founding, war important for me: First of all, it was about making the sources and documents accessible to me public and making a contribution to contemporary history. I do not see the description as a final documentation, Rather, it represents my current view of things. In addition, it is important to me to show that our society is able to react appropriately to a human emergency in an emergency. Belief in this was lost in the years after 2015. 1991 as well . There is still room for improvement and that also and especially applies in times of a pandemic. “
Vice Mayor Bernhard Auinger (SPÖ) says: “This report is impressive about the great achievements our city is capable of when almost everyone pulls together. Therefore, I find it particularly important that this book reflects the experiences and the almost superhuman achievements of the helpers Helpers viewed from different perspectives and retained for future generations. ” Sylvia Hahn, university historian and migration expert, says: “The perspectives of political and / or administrative decision-makers on the events of the great escape in Salzburg in 2015 open up new perspectives and interesting insights into migration events. They form an important documentation and basis for future scientific debates on the refugee movements in Europe since the 2000s. “
A book: Heinz Schaden, Die “Großes Flucht” 2015. A report (Salzburg contributions to the history of migration 2, series of publications by the Archives of the City of Salzburg 61), Salzburg 2021, 224 pages with 143 color illustrations and 4 graphics, ISBN 978-3-900213-52-7 . Price: 24.20 euros; available in the city archives and in good bookshops.