Museum of Tolerance Los Angeles Returns Historic “Mauthausen Flag” to Concentration Camp on 80th Anniversary of Liberation

May 12, 2025

MAUTHAUSEN, AUSTRIA (May 12, 2025) – Yesterday, as part of a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Mauthausen concentration camp, the Museum of Tolerance Los Angeles presented a replica of a remarkable, makeshift American flag that encapsulates the agony of the Holocaust and the hope of survivors in American democracy.

Eighty years ago, as American soldiers entered the gates of the notorious Mauthausen concentration camp, they were presented with a makeshift 56-star American flag, hand-sewn by Mauthausen’s inmates using SS laundry, scraps of bedsheets, and Nazi banners. Working in secret as American forces approached, the inmates sewed 56 stars onto their American flag, not knowing the exact number but certain that American soldiers would soon liberate them from their Nazi captors. Decades later, one of those American heroes passed the flag to one of Mauthausen’s most famous inmates, Simon Wiesenthal.

The original “Mauthausen flag” is currently displayed at the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, but yesterday, the Museum of Tolerance brought a replica of this flag back to the hallowed grounds of Mauthausen.

“Few images are as powerful or as haunting as the Mauthausen Flag—a symbol of freedom raised in the darkest of places,” said Jim Berk, CEO of the Museum of Tolerance’s parent entity, the Simon Wiesenthal Center. “It represents not only the hope carried by American liberators, but the unimaginable strength of the survivors who endured starvation, torture, and the constant shadow of death. Returning this replica to Mauthausen is more than a gesture; it is a sacred act of remembrance honoring those who perished, those who endured, and the courageous young soldiers who brought light into the heart of darkness.”

On May 5, 1945, the 11th Armored Division of the Third U.S. Army under the command of Colonel Richard Seibel of Defiance, Ohio, liberated Mauthausen. Upon seeing the handmade flag, Colonel Seibel was so moved that he ordered it flown over the camp, transforming it into a living symbol of freedom.

“This flag wasn’t sewn in freedom, it was sewn in faith,” said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean and EVP of International Advocacy at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, who delivered remarks during the U.S. delegation’s wreath-laying ceremony alongside General Christopher Donahue and U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Mario Witmer. “That flag represents hope triumphing over horror, and it must never be forgotten.”

Following World War II, Colonel Seibel presented the flag to one of Mauthausen’s liberated inmates, Simon Wiesenthal, who would go on to become the world’s most renowned Nazi hunter.

During the ceremony on Sunday, members of the U.S. delegation, including survivors and descendants of survivors, carried a replica of the Mauthausen Flag in a commemorative procession, stopping for wreath-laying and reflection in the square where prisoners once stood for roll call. The commemoration also featured a moving performance of “Taps” by Paul Kosiek, the son of American liberator Sgt. Al Kosiek, played beside the plaques honoring U.S. victims and liberators.

“This flag and this place remind us that history is not something we observe, it’s something we inherit and must defend,” added Rabbi Cooper.

Jim Berk added, “On this historic day, the Museum of Tolerance does more than remember; it recommits. To protecting truth. To defending dignity. And to ensuring that the words ‘Never Again’ are not simply whispered at memorials, but upheld through action, education, and unwavering vigilance.”

About the Museum of Tolerance

The Museum of Tolerance, in Los Angeles, California, challenges visitors to confront bigotry, antisemitism, and hate, encouraging a deeper understanding of the Holocaust within both historical and modern contexts. Since opening in 1993, the museum has hosted over 8 million visitors, including more than 3.5 million students and 200,000 adults who have participated in the museum experience and its programs. The Museum of Tolerance was founded by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a renowned Jewish human rights organization honoring the legacy of Simon Wiesenthal, the legendary Nazi hunter. The Museum of Tolerance uses the lessons of the Holocaust to teach tolerance to people of all backgrounds and faiths.

For further information, please email Erik Simon at esimon@wiesenthal.com, Deborah Camiel at dcamiel@wiesenthal.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your X feed.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS, and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).