in 1991 austrian chancellor franz vranitzky was the first chancellor of austria to admit and acknowledge the austrian people's share of responsibility for the crimes committed by national socialism during wwii . the new approached reject the then established myth of austria merely being the first victim of nazism. this signaled a new approach within the austrian political establishment regarding its stance and treatment of austria's and austrian's role during the time of national socialism. the austrian holocaust memorial service is an outflow of this recognition.