An emotional memorial service was organized on Wednesday in the Adriatic Sea at the Cape of Rodoni (Kepi i Rodonit in Durres), the spot where the ship Lloyd Linz sank a century ago (March 19, 1918), to honor the victims of the biggest catastrophe of the Austro-Hungarian seafaring history, a catastrophe, which has practically been forgotten.
At the start of the memorial event 'held under the auspices of the Austrian Embassy', Catholic Priest Father Mirash Marinaj led a short ceremony with prayers, commemorative preaching and a blessing, which was attended by Austrian Ambassador to Albania Johann Sattler, Hungarian Ambassador to Albania Lorant Balla, Honorary Consuls at Austrian Honorary Consulates in Vlora and Shkodra, Arben Malaj and Gjergj Liqejza, Director of Albanian Coast Agency Auron Tare, Commandant of the Marine Base Durres Lulzim Kryeziu and other invitees.
"All of us have watched movie productions or read articles about ship catastrophes, from Titanic to Lusitania, from Estonia to Kursk and Costa Concordia. But many big tragedies of their days are being forgotten in the blink of an eye. Today we are looking back on the biggest catastrophe of Austro-Hungarian seafaring history, a catastrophe, which is practically forgotten," said Austrian Ambassador to Tirana Johann Sattler in his remarks.
The whole world knows the history of the Titanic, but a much larger nautical causality happened some years later close to the Albanian coastline. The passenger ship Linz had been converted from an ocean cruiser, running between Trieste and Konstantinopol, into a troop transporter at the beginning of the First World War.
"On the tragic 19 March 1918, shortly after midnight, the Linz was hit by a submarine torpedo not far from where were we are right now," Ambassador Sattler told the participants at the ceremony on board of 'Iliria' ship of Albania's Naval Force, which set anchor in the right place where Linz sank within a few minutes a century ago.
"There was a colorful mixture of passengers on board. In addition to the ship's crew, there were a marching company of a Honved Regiment, military replacement personnel form Albanian-based units and members of the Marine, several hundred Italian and Russian prisoners of war and a few women," said Mr. Sattler, who pointed out that it was not known the exact number of the victims because there were many blind passengers on board. "The estimates run between 1000 and 2260, and only 291 people were saved," the Ambassador said referring to estimations because the official news about the disaster were very sparse, because, as he said, it was war. In addition he explained that the Linz was quickly forgotten because Austria only a few months later became a land-locked country, trying to survive after the catastrophe of the war.
Linz' tragedy a reminder of cruelty, absurdity of war
The Austrian Ambassador quoted an eyewitness of the tragic event, Peter Pitschiller, one of those saved, who described the dramatic and thrilling minutes as following: "I saw the officers and soldiers rushing out, defenseless against the panic on the deck, which was unstoppable, and I had to watch them pull out their guns and shoot themselves in the head."
"Where we stand right now, dramatic events unfolded, unspeakable scenes and heart wrenching fights to survive, fights for life, fights which were lost by 90 percent of the passengers. We are gathered here to remember and pay our respect to the lives lost on that day, and not just lives, but people, individuals, fathers, sons and daughters," said Mr. Sattler, who underscored that the event being marked reminded of the cruelty, but also of the absurdity of the war!
Austria's top envoy to Tirana was happy that Europe since seven decades was not in the war business any more.
"Europe is in the peace and prosperity business, but Europe is also getting lazy and forgetful. What we need to do, I believe, not only on days like today, is to cherish what we have achieved and to continue building and improving our European home, which one day - I am sure of that - will also include Albania," said Ambassador Sattler.
In his closing remark he emotionally said: "Today we say to those who went down right here with the steam liner Linz, that you are not, no you are not forgotten!"
"Let me welcome you all here in our commemorative event at this very special place with a tragic yet important historical background. We are here today to commemorate the death of hundreds of soldiers and civilians who lost their lives almost exactly one hundred years ago," said in his remarks the Hungarian Ambassador, Lorant Balla.
Further on Mr. Balla said that the tragic incident of the Linz was one of many maritime battles which happened over the Mediterranean Sea during the First World War. Many ships and U-boats of the Austro-Hungarian Army ended its duties in the Albanian waters, hundreds of naval soldiers were lost from many nationalities of the Monarchy, including Hungarians.
"We had lost a high number of soldiers during the Balkans operations of the First World War on Albanian mainland territory, too. It is our duty to remember those who fell and to commemorate their heroic acts," said the Hungarian Ambassador, who expressed his gratitude to partners and friends who made it possible to have that event.
In conclusion of the memorial event all those who were present cast floral wreaths and flowers onto the waves of the spot in the Adriatic Sea where hundreds of people lost their lives a century ago.