New advisory board for memory culture in Innsbruck: a sign of memorial initiatives!

New advisory board for memory culture in Innsbruck: a sign of memorial initiatives!

On July 7, 2025, a new advisory board for memory culture was launched in Innsbruck, which deals with the reappraisal and memorial culture of the city. This initiative followed a decision by the local council on April 24, 2025, which decided to establish the advisory board. The members are not only from the subject, but also bring extensive expertise in the areas of history and design. This includes historian Ingrid Böhler, who heads the Institute for Contemporary History at the University of Innsbruck, Niko Hofinger, historian in the Innsbruck City Archives, and state conservator Gabriele Neumann. The designer Stefan Amann and head of office Wolfgang Andexlinger, responsible for urban planning and integration, are also part of the team that deals with important historical questions. This reports uibk.ac.at.

"We have decided to throw new light on historical events under the motto, which often remain in the dark in Innsbruck," explains Vice Mayor Georg Willi at the presentation of the advisory board. The committee will deal in particular with the creation of new plaques and the review of contaminated street names. A concrete example of the work of the advisory board are the so-called "times", hand-shaped bronze slices, which are to be installed near the last places of residence of Nazi victims ( innsbruck.gv.at ).

focus and goals of the advisory board

The thematic focus of the advisory board is clearly defined. The committee will primarily deal with the assessment of submissions to establish new “times”. Applications can be made by civil society and should contain biographical details and a reason. "Our goal is to present the diversity of the life stories of the persecuted and to maintain the memory of them," emphasizes historian Niko Hofinger.

In addition, roads of streets are also on the program that are reminiscent of insensitive or questionable historical people. With this process support, both historical and the (memory) political motives should be taken into account. The artistic implementation of the respective monuments is also examined in detail.

The way to remember

"times" are more than just plaques; They are interactions between history and the present. The bronze slices are not only provided with the names of the victims, but also with a QR code that leads to a multilingual information page. This page, which can be called up at www.zeitpunkte.at, provides further information about the biographies of the commemorative. The quality of the texts is ensured by the advisory board, which also decides the final version of the information.

Innsbruck not only wants to heal historical wounds, but also promote the view of a differentiated culture of memory. The joint effort of the city, citizens: inside and experts should help to raise more awareness of history and to take social responsibility seriously.