Remember the Peasants' War – Upper Austria 1626: My, Your, Our History?

Upper Austria 1626 – A Contested Heritage The Upper Austrian Peasants' War of 1626 resulted from tensions that had been building for years: foreign political rule, economic burdens, and conflicts over faith. Even before this, the Frankenburg Punishment of 1625 had condensed these experiences into an event that etched itself deeply into the collective memory. The consequences of the war extended far beyond the military defeat. Repression, religious pressure, and emigration shaped entire generations – and later became an important element of regional and Protestant remembrance and identity. How the Peasants' War has been remembered, however, has continually changed: sometimes as an illegitimate uprising, sometimes as a struggle against foreign rule, sometimes as a testimony of faith, later also as a social-revolutionary liberation struggle, a national-religious popular uprising, or a warning to embrace tolerance and reject violence. The various memorial sites throughout Upper Austria alone demonstrate that history is not a fixed possession, but rather the result of negotiation. Different political and confessional groups reinterpreted the events time and again, using them for their own present – right up to today. Our event series invites you to bring these multifaceted interpretations into conversation with one another – openly, controversially, with respectful listening, and guided by the central question: Upper Austria 1626: My, Your, Our History? Following a few short presentations, these will be discussed among the audience and reflected upon together. Musical accompaniment as well as food and drinks will be provided.