„Good Defense, Comrade Samuel!“

The integration potential of the fire brigades in Lower Austria using the example of their Jewish members

The socio-politically important question of how members of marginalised groups can be included in the various areas of society is highly topical, not only for the province of Lower Austria. The project examines structures and measures of inclusion and integration on the basis of the Jewish members of the largest association in Lower Austria, the volunteer fire brigades. From previous research on Jewish regional history, Jewish firefighters could already be identified in some places. Their identification is difficult because the numerous surviving lists of members and books of honour do not contain any information on religion. In a first step, therefore, the Jewish firemen will be identified as completely as possible by comparing these names with Jewish databases. Secondly, it will be investigated which social categories apart from religion and gender – women were generally not admitted until 1994 – and criteria were decisive for this inclusion and how the possible non-inclusion of Jewish candidates can be justified. Finally, the thesis is examined whether the FF up to the Nazi decrees of 1939 can serve as a best-practice example of diversity.

The database of Jewish firefighters will be available to the public in open access. Supplementary information, for example from members of the fire brigades, can be included. The research results will not only be disseminated in academic publications, but will also be presented to a broad public, for example, at meetings and festivals of the fire brigades. On an international level, contact is established with the International Working Group for Fire Brigade and Fire Protection History in Ljubljana, which has 39 member countries and regularly organises historical working conferences. One socio-political effect hoped for is that the research results will serve as a stimulus for offers for inclusion.

Information: |mail: Benjamin Grilj|

We would like to thank the Gesellschaft für Forschungsförderung Niederösterreich for supporting the project.