Once upon a time, a local butcher named Josef Schieferl decided to enrich Vienna with a beautiful landmark. This is the Schieferlkreuz, a Bildstock in Meidling. It is also known as the “Weiβes Kreuz”.
The Schieferlkreuz stands proudly at the corner of Breitenfurter Straβe and Wienerbergbrücke. It consists of a brick pillar. The pillar has six sides and supports a niche. Inside this niche, you will find a wooden Madonna holding her child. Above it all, a gilded wrought iron cross completes the structure.
Josef Schieferl was a butcher from Meidling. He lived from 1786 to 1847. He paid for the Bildstock to be renovated at his own expense. However, the exact origin of the original cross remains a mystery.
Local legend tells a darker tale. It says that a knight was walled up alive at this very spot in the Middle Ages.
In 1920, Friedrich and Betty Fischer added a plaque. The plaque commemorates their renovation of the Schieferlkreuz. It honors God and remembers difficult times.
Bildstöcke are more than just stone and art. They are rooted in Vienna’s history and culture. Originally, Bildstöcke served as “Totenleuchten”. These lights marked locations in cemeteries.
From the 15th century onward, their purpose expanded. People erected them in the countryside. Often, they were expressions of vows. These Bildstöcke stood at roadsides and intersections. Within their structures, they housed sacred art. These could be statues of saints, crucifixes, or depictions of the Virgin Mary.
In Vienna, most Bildstöcke are outside the Gürtel and beyond the Danube. However, some exist within the Gürtel. For example, you can find them in the 3rd and 7th districts.
Typical locations for Bildstöcke include crossroads. They also mark the edges of towns or boundaries. The Bildstock is a reminder of faith.
The Starhembergkaserne Bildstock features a square base. It also features a pillar, and a niche topped with a metal cross. Inside the niche, a reverse glass painting depicts Saint John the Evangelist.
An inscription on the pillar reveals its history. Metal letters display the year 1988. There’s also a metal candle holder and a plaque. It reads “St. Johannes Evangelist, ‘Schutzpatron v. Favoriten'”. This translates to “Saint John the Evangelist, Patron Saint of Favoriten”.
The inscription continues. It says the Military Parish Council dedicated it. They were members of the Catholic Soldiers Working Group. Oberst Helmer was also involved. The occasion was the Signal Corps Tradition Day in 1988.
Another metal plate on the base mentions St. Gabriel. It calls him the “Schutzpatron der Fernmeldetruppe”. This means “Patron Saint of the Signal Corps”.
Oberst Helmer commissioned several Bildstöcke in Vienna’s military barracks during the 1980s. Initially, this one honored Archangel Gabriel. Oberst Johann Schipper created the original reverse glass painting. It depicted the Archangel Gabriel. Dr. Franz Fahrner, the military chaplain of Vienna, blessed the Bildstock. The blessing occurred on October 7, 1988. It was part of the Signal Corps Tradition Day.
In 1992, the Bildstock was redesigned. This change coincided with another Tradition Day. It became a Bildstock dedicated to Saint John the Evangelist. Saint John is the patron saint of Vienna’s 10th district, Favoriten. Vzlt i.R. Herbert Muth created the new reverse glass painting.
Standing here, the Bildstock connects us to the past. It shows us a piece of Vienna’s religious and artistic history. It serves as a reminder of faith. It symbolizes remembrance and artistic expression.