Carinthian homeland service
Manifest 2020
100 Year anniversary of the Carinthian referendum. Looking back with a look to the future
preamble
- After a painful century and decades of ethnic group dispute,
- the one with Slovenian organizations in May 2005 achieved place sign compromise,
- the on 10. October 2006 commitment expressed in a solemn declaration by the Carinthian consensus group, to work on a climate of mutual trust in the future,
- and the successful cross-border path of understanding and reconciliation in the years that followed,
- With the joint commemoration of the victims on both sides by the former military opponents on the 100th anniversary of the Carinthian referendum, important prerequisites were created for lasting peace in a region that has long been torn by violent conflicts.
The prerequisites for sustainable reconciliation for securing peace
In order to reconcile former opponents, the willingness on both sides is essential. Sustainable reconciliation to secure peace
- but can only be done in a dialogue at eye level,
- without preconditions,
- with willingness, To also think about the position of the other
- and with the courage to be self-critical.
That is what makes it possible,
- the changeful and self-sacrificing, of quarrel, Mistrust and mutual aversions to work through history together, turning away from an exclusively subjective view of history.
- This requires the rejection of black and white thinking, associated with readiness, To get to rethinking through thinking and thinking.
Home service and the consensus group have also implemented a rethink
The Carinthian Home Service has these basic principles in and outside the Carinthian Consensus Group in many areas - with shared information- and cultural events and above all with common commemoration of the victims – also implemented, and thus made an essential contribution to creating a climate of mutual trust.
An awareness of tradition and a willingness to reconcile on all sides are not a contradiction in terms
This is what the Carinthian Heimatdienst has at the 100th anniversary of the 2006 In a solemn declaration on the "Day of the Common Home of Carinthia", the Carinthian referendum was proven,
- on the one hand with a grateful reminder of the defensive struggle and subsequent confession of German- and Slovenian-speaking Carinthians for an undivided Carinthia near Austria, associated with the public appreciation of the 1918/20 particularly deserving personalities like Hans Steinacher, but without foregoing criticism that is differentiated over time,
- and on the other hand with renouncing condemnation of those, the 1920 made use of their democratic rights and voted for Yugoslavia.
The Carinthian Homeland Service makes this clear, that understanding- and reconciliation work with respect for the culture and way of life of other peoples are not in conflict with national and cultural self-confidence.
Its a lot to do.
Because many are still not participating in the endeavors to achieve sustainable reconciliation and peacekeeping, or expressly oppose it
since 2005 former parties to the dispute go through decades of ethnic group conflict, like the Carinthian Homeland Service, the Central Association of Slovenian Organizations and the Community of Carinthian Slovenes in the Carinthian Consensus Group are working together on the path to understanding and reconciliation.
Implacable circles in the ranks of the Carinthian Slovenes do not go this way, but also in isolated areas of the Carinthian home associations.
That has to be respected in a democracy.
The home service cannot, however, accept interventions in internal affairs without objection.
Criticism and, if necessary, verbal resistance are appropriate, if
- In some German-Carinthian groups, the way of understanding and reconciliation of the homeland service is condemned as treason without readiness for a clarifying discussion,
- In accordance with national circles in Slovenia irreconcilable denial of the right to homeland service, Hans Steinacher, Without which there would be no undivided Carinthia in Austria today, to be honored on a plaque and when this
- on the other hand keep it silent, that the Carinthian Homeland Service, in the interest of a joint processing of the history of an open confrontation with Steinacher's dark sides during the Nazi era, also allowed harsh critics to have their say in an anthology. And finally, too, that
- Steinacher, who had not been accused of any Nazi crimes, was highly respected as the savior of the Carinthian regional unit throughout the post-war decades across all parties, which is also immortalized on a number of memorial plaques.
The duty to not interfere in areas of tradition must be, without giving up criticism, apply to both sides
If the Carinthian Homeland Service does not deny certain circles in Carinthia and Slovenia the right, the "fight for the northern border" - without revision intentions – to appreciate and renounce any interference in this regard, then we also expect the unreserved respect of these circles for our Austria-conscious thinking about voting.
Nevertheless, our criticism of wrongdoing and negligence on the part of the other side will not prevent us from doing so, to continue to openly approach all those who are currently still on the sidelines and offer them a dialogue without any preconditions.
With KÄRNTEN NEW THINKING, the German-Slovenian Carinthian consensus group, in cooperation with the Carinthian Homeland Service, began the path of understanding, With KÄRNTEN NEW SHAPING, the reconciliation work is now to be continued and expanded.
From the KHD board on 28. October 2020 decided unanimously
Chairman Dr. Josef Feldner
