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Austria remembers Nazi annexation Austria remembers Nazi annexation
(about 17 hours later)
A joint session of parliament has been held in Austria to mark its annexation by Nazi Germany 70 years ago. Austrians have held a candlelit vigil to mark their country's annexation by Nazi Germany 70 years ago.
On 12 March 1938, German troops marched into Austria and Hitler declared "Anschluss", or political union. They lit 80,000 candles in Vienna, representing the number of Austrian Jews and others killed by the Nazis.
Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer told the sitting that "no compensation can ever diminish the wrong that the Nazis did to our Jewish fellow citizens". Earlier, the president of Austria's parliament told MPs the country shared responsibility for the Nazis' crimes.
Later, 80,000 candles will be lit outside parliament, where Austrians cheered Hitler's arrival 70 years ago. In 1938, huge crowds in Vienna celebrated the arrival of German troops and Hitler, who declared "Anschluss", or political union.
The candles represent the number of Austrian Jews and others who died at the hands of the Nazis. 'We must never forget'
The organisers have dubbed the ceremony "The Night of Silence" in contrast with the enthusiasm of the welcome given to the German takeover. The candlelit vigil lit up Vienna's Heldenplatz - in the heart of the capital - on Wednesday night.
Mr Gusenbauer also announced that the government would build a Simon Wiesenthal Centre in honour of the Nazi hunter who died in 2005. Enthusiastic crowds welcomed the German takeover in 1938
class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7283899.stm">Austria haunted by Nazi past The organisers dubbed the ceremony "The Night of Silence" - in contrast with the enthusiasm of the welcome given to the German takeover at the time.
"So many bad things happened. We must never forget," Marcus Mor - one of the participants - was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.
"We have to live with this and do something to make sure history never repeats itself," he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer told a joint session of parliament that "no compensation can ever diminish the wrong that the Nazis did to our Jewish fellow citizens".
Mr Gusenbauer also announced that the government would build a Simon Wiesenthal Centre in honour of the Nazi-hunter who died in 2005.
He told parliament that no pay-off could undo what had been done.He told parliament that no pay-off could undo what had been done.
"I can only humbly beg survivors and their relatives to accept this gesture for what it is: a trifling acknowledgement of the injustice that was done to you," he said."I can only humbly beg survivors and their relatives to accept this gesture for what it is: a trifling acknowledgement of the injustice that was done to you," he said.
Victims or supporters?
On Tuesday, Vienna's Jewish community formally re-opened the Hakoah sports club complex which had been confiscated by the Nazis in 1938.On Tuesday, Vienna's Jewish community formally re-opened the Hakoah sports club complex which had been confiscated by the Nazis in 1938.
Austria haunted by Nazi past
The previous day, Mr Gusenbauer opened an exhibition showing how Jewish staff of the State Opera were purged under Nazi rule.The previous day, Mr Gusenbauer opened an exhibition showing how Jewish staff of the State Opera were purged under Nazi rule.
The anniversary of the Anschluss has revived debate among Austrians about whether they were victims or supporters of the Third Reich.The anniversary of the Anschluss has revived debate among Austrians about whether they were victims or supporters of the Third Reich.
Otto von Habsburg, 95, the son of Austria's last emperor, told a commemorative meeting that no state in Europe had "a greater right than Austria to call itself a victim".Otto von Habsburg, 95, the son of Austria's last emperor, told a commemorative meeting that no state in Europe had "a greater right than Austria to call itself a victim".
But the president of the lower house of parliament, Barbara Prammer, told Wednesday's session that Austrians were complicit in Nazi crimes. But the president of the lower house of parliament, Barbara Prammer, told lawmakers that Austrians were complicit in Nazi crimes.
She said any suggestion that they had been forced to commit atrocities was a "fiction of history".She said any suggestion that they had been forced to commit atrocities was a "fiction of history".