Hohenems – Presentation on Europe, asylum and human rights

5 May 2018

On 5 May, the Jewish Museum in Hohenems, Austria, invited ESI's Gerald Knaus to give a presentation on asylum policy in Europe, Germany and Austria in the town's former synagogue.

In the Nazi era, Hohenems was the place from where Jews fled Germany across the Rhine in 1938-1945. Nowadays, this story is best known through the name of the Swiss police commander in St. Gallen, Paul Grüninger. Following the Austrian Anschluss, Grüninger saved about 3,600 Jewish refugees by backdating their visas and falsifying other documents to indicate that they had entered Switzerland at a time when legal entry of refugees was still possible. He was dismissed from the police force, convicted of official misconduct, and fined 300 Swiss francs. He received no pension and died in poverty in 1972. After Grüninger was dismissed, about 24,000 people were pushed back to Nazi Germany, many to their certain deaths. After the Second World War, this experience led to Geneva Refugee Convention.

The following day, Gerald and Kristof Bender met with colleagues from ERSTE Stiftung and the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) for a two days brainstorming in Hittisau on how to deal with illiberal challenges in Europe; and how to produce impactful writing and design campaigns that make a difference now.

The Rhine bridge between Diepoldsau (Switzerland) and Hohenems in Austria was named after Paul Grüninger in 2012. Photo: ESI
The Rhine bridge between Diepoldsau (Switzerland) and Hohenems in Austria was named after Paul Grüninger in 2012. Photo: ESI
ERSTE-IWM-ESI meeting in Hittiau. Photo: ESI
ERSTE-IWM-ESI meeting in Hittisau. Photo: ESI