Paragraph 58c

On 1 September 2020, a new law came into force in Austria, Section 58c of the Citizenship Act. It was created in an effort to reconcile with the victims of National Socialism and now allows all descendants of those persecuted by the regime of the time to acquire Austrian citizenship by filing a complaint

On 30 December 2020, Veronika Müller Mäder was granted Austrian citizenship. As the granddaughter of the Viennese politician Ernst Karl Winter, who had to emigrate to the USA with his wife Margarethe Winter-Svoboda and his children a few days before the Anschluss in March 1938.

This act was touching. It raised questions. Who are the people who initiated this stud farm? What stories lie behind the applications that arrived at all the embassies in the world? How does history shape a person, consciously and unconsciously? And what is it like today to be on the road as a refugee, to arrive in Austria?

In pursuit of these questions, the journey from May to October 2022 took us to Kritzendorf near Vienna for research work. In search of stories, projects and portraits of people

This resulted in a broad collection for a film idea and a lot of material for a youth book project. Due to the Ukraine war, this debate in Europe has taken on a timeliness that we had not imagined.


Key data

Duration of research

May – October 2022

Project in development

Project ideas

„A New World“ cinema documentary film

Youth book „Lost Happiness

Research content

  • National and Future Fund of the Republic of Austria
  • Paragaph 58c
  • Interviews in the fields of cultural studies, psychology, history and film
  • personal family history
  • Contemporary Witnesses to National Socialism
  • „best practice“ projects

Research locations

  • Vienna
  • Klosterneuburg
  • Waldviertel, Weinviertel
  • Vienna Neustatt
  • Mariazell
  • Villach
  • Steyr

Project funding

Future Fund of the Rep. of Austria

Guido Feger Princely Council of Commerce Foundation

Recommended

  • Judith Kohlenberger, „WIR
  • Boglarka Hadinger, „Giving people the courage to live“
  • Eckehard Tolle, „A New World“
  • Séverine Autesserre, „The Frontline of Peace“
  • Anja Rachmanowa, milkmaid in Ottakring
  • Magdas, Hotel in Vienna

Office

Winery Hauerhof 99, Kritzendorf