Perhaps unnoticed by many, the Knabengruppe Statue stands as a powerful memorial against war and fascism. This monument commemorates Austria’s dark years under Nazi rule from 1938 to 1945.
The Knabengruppe Statue is part of a larger memorial. This larger memorial is the Monument Against War and Fascism. It stands on Albertinaplatz, behind Vienna’s Opera House. Don’t miss it while waltzing from the Hofburg Palace. You might be headed to a plate of Sacher torte.
The memorial has four parts. The Gates of Violence is a split white monument. It remembers victims of all wars and violence. You stand at the gates of a concentration camp when directly in front of it. As you explore the statues, you step into wartime images. These include clubs and WWI gas masks. A dying woman birthing a future soldier is depicted. Also shown are victims of cruel medical experimentation and chained slave laborers. They sit on granite from the Mauthausen concentration camp. A hunched-over figure scrubs anti-Nazi graffiti. This depicts a Jew forced to do so.
Of Vienna’s 200000 Jews, more than 65000 died in Nazi concentration camps. A sculpture with its head buried is Orpheus entering the underworld. It reminds Austrians of the victims of Nazism. It also reminds them of the consequences of not keeping governments on track. The 1945 declaration established Austria’s second republic. Human rights are enshrined in the stone behind Orpheus.
Viewing the Knabengruppe Statue gains emotional impact from the site’s history. Several hundred people were buried alive during a WWII bombing. They sought shelter in a cellar that was demolished.
Austria was annexed by Germany in 1938. There was disturbingly little resistance. The Germans said Austrians were wannabe Germans. But Austrians are not Germans. Austria was founded in the 10th century. Germany wasn’t born until 1870. There was no Austria from 1938 to 1945. Austria regained independence in 1955. This happened after 10 years of Allied occupation. Austria was to be forever neutral. It would never join NATO or the Warsaw Pact. Austria remains outside of NATO.
Albertina Platz is also known as Remembrance Square. It is a walk-about commemorative site. Austrian sculptor Alfred Hrdlicka designed the monument. It was dedicated in November 1988. This followed years of debate over content and location. Parts are made of granite from the Mauthausen Concentration Camp. They commemorate those who lost their lives during National Socialism and WW11.
The debate highlighted a recurring theme in Vienna. Should they bury the past, or reopen old wounds? These debates link to Austria’s difficult situation before and during WW11. They also link to anti-Semitism in Austrian history.
Each part references different facets of Austrian history under Nazi control.
The Gates of Violence features carvings of chained laborers. Civilian victims of war are depicted. Figures connected to Nazi concentration camps are also shown. Recently, video screens were added to the stone bases. These display footage of persecuted Jewish people. They also show heckling by bystanders.
The Street-washing Jew is a low bronze figure. It represents a Jewish person forced to scrub off anti-Nazi graffiti. This is based on actual history. Local Nazi party members organized scrubbings soon after Austria was annexed. Jews were forced to clean public streets and walls.
Orpheus enters Hades is dedicated to all victims of Nazi-ism in Austria. It has another symbolic meaning. Civilians sought refuge in the basement of an Inn during a March 1945 bombing. The inn was hit, burying the civilians. They were not rescued. Orpheus searched for Eurydice in Hades. But the Viennese did not descend into the cellars to search for those trapped.
The Stone of the Republic is a 30-foot tall tablet-like stone. It has excerpts from the 1945 declaration establishing Austria’s Second Republic. Alfred Hrdlicka favored dark subjects. Human suffering and repression are central themes. He referenced history and violent confrontations.