Archaeological investigations at the site of the former Gusen concentration camp

The Burghauptmannschaft Österreich and the Mauthausen Memorial are currently planning archaeological measures on the land newly purchased by the Republic of Austria in Gusen in 2024. For this reason, an on-site inspection and meeting took place in Gusen at the end of December. In addition to archaeologists, representatives of the State Conservation Office for Upper Austria (Austrian Federal Monuments Office), the Burghauptmannschaft Österreich and the Mauthausen Concentration Camp Memorial took part. Due to the clearing measures carried out in autumn and the low vegetation due to the season, the remains of camp buildings are currently partially visible to the naked eye. The appropriate archaeological methods and the relevant sites to be investigated next year were discussed. The aim of the measures will be in particular to document the structural remains in order to obtain an improved overview of what is still there, which can then be included in the further planning of the redesign of the Gusen Concentration Camp Memorial.