The Kärnten.Museum is pleased to announce the opening of the highly anticipated exhibition, "Hitler's Executive: The Austrian Police and National Socialism," on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. This exhibition, which explores the central role of the police in enforcing and maintaining National Socialist rule in Austria, will be officially opened by Governor Peter Kaiser.
The evening will feature a musical performance by the Wind Ensemble of the Carinthian Police Music, conducted by Chief Inspector Martin Irrasch.
On the Program:
Peter Kaiser, Governor of Carinthia, will deliver the opening remarks.
Wolfgang Muchitsch, Director and Scientific Director of the Kärnten.Museum, will engage in insightful conversations with notable figures including:
Stephan Mlczoch, Ministry of the Interior
Michaela Kohlweiß, Provincial Police Director
Barbara Stelzl-Marx, University of Graz and Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Research on the Consequences of War
Martina Zerovnik, Exhibition Curator
Peter Pirker, Curator of the Carinthian Section of the Exhibition, Kärnten.Museum
Exhibition Overview
After World War II, the atrocities committed by the police under National Socialism were largely left unaddressed, and it was only much later that the full extent of their involvement in the regime's crimes came to light. The exhibition "Hitler's Executive" uncovers the dark legacy of the Austrian police and gendarmerie under Nazi rule. It highlights their central role in enforcing terror and oppression, including the surveillance, persecution, and murder of perceived "enemies" of the regime.
One of the most harrowing aspects of the exhibition is its focus on the complicity of Austrian police officers and gendarmes in the Holocaust, and the fact that many of them were never held accountable after the war. Through an examination of biographies, the exhibition sheds light on the fates and behaviors of these officers—from those who resisted the regime to those who carried out its brutal commands.
The exhibition also includes a special section that examines the role of the police in Carinthia and the occupation of Slovenian Upper Carniola. It provides a comprehensive overview of the organization, functions, and attitudes of the police under National Socialism, showcasing both the continuities and breaks in the police force before and after Nazi rule.
Cooperative Event
This exhibition is the result of a collaborative effort between the Kärnten.Museum, the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for the Research of War Consequences, the University of Graz, the Future Fund of the Republic of Austria, and the Carinthian Provincial Police Directorate.
Supporting Program
In addition to the opening, the exhibition will feature a series of related events, including curator-led tours and engaging panel discussions:
March 22, 2025, 10:30 a.m. – Curator’s Tour with Martina Zerovnik
April 3, 2025, 5:00 p.m. – Curator’s Tour with Martina Zerovnik and Peter Pirker, followed by a reading and discussion of "Voices of My Mother: Memories" with Helga Mračnikar and Prof. Mag. Monika Novak-Sabotnik
April 25, 2025, 2:00 p.m. – Panel Discussion on the police as an instrument of German occupation, featuring experts like Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dieter Pohl, Priv.-Doz. Mag. Dr. Peter Pirker, and Mag. Dr. Ursula Schwarz
Followed by a Memorial Walk for victims of Nazi justice in Carinthia/Koroška at 4:00 p.m.
Registration
To attend the opening and related events, please register by contacting:
Email: erlebnis@kaernten.museum
Phone: +43 (0)463 240025
This exhibition offers a deep, reflective look into a dark chapter of Austrian history, encouraging visitors to engage with the uncomfortable truths of the past and consider the legacies of complicity, accountability, and remembrance. Join us at the Kärnten.Museum for this crucial and thought-provoking exhibition.