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Remembering is Acting
Our Sisters Visit A Memorial Site For NS Victims
In May 2025, members of the Daughters of Penelope visited the Memorial for the Victims of Nazi Justice at the Regional Court in Vienna. Together, we commemorated the approximately 1,200 men and women who were executed by guillotine at this site during the Nazi regime – among them three young Greek women: Julia Bimba, Sophia Costi, and Maria Janatos.
As a sign of our remembrance, we laid a wreath and our President, Althea-Maria Papoulias offered words of reflection, and honored the individual stories and sacrifices of the victims. The visit was made at the invitation of Vollmar Harwanegg, former member of the Vienna City Council and son of a Greek forced laborer.
The memorial is located in the former execution chamber of the courthouse and today serves as a place of silent remembrance, warning, and historical reflection. Especially moving are the name plaques, which restore identity and dignity to the victims – a powerful reminder against forgetting.
Part of the mission of the Daughters of Penelope is also to remember the injustices of the Nazi era, particularly the role of the justice system as a tool of Nazi oppression. For us, this visit was not only an act of remembrance, but also a clear commitment to humanity, justice, and historical responsibility.
"Visiting the memorial moved me deeply — it reminded me how important it is to keep the memory of these injustices alive!"
Honoring Julia Bimba (Ιουλία Μπίμπα)
We paid special tribute to Julia Bimba, a Greek resistance fighter who was executed by guillotine in Vienna in 1943. As a member of the PEAN resistance group, she played an active role in the bombing of the offices of the collaborationist ESPO organization in Athens – an extraordinary act of courage.
Despite her humble background and lack of formal education, she fought with conviction and passion against the occupation. Her story represents many others whose courage and sacrifice remain a lasting responsibility for us today.