Lost in thought, perhaps? The Memorial against War and Fascism stands here. It serves as a constant reminder of Austria’s darkest chapter. This memorial is dedicated to all who suffered under war and fascism.
The Memorial against War and Fascism has stood on Albertinaplatz since 1988. In 2009, the square was named after Helmut Zilk. The memorial faces the Palais Archduke Albrecht and the back of the Vienna State Opera. It is a walk-in monument.
Let’s delve into the history of this place. Before the memorial, the Philipphof stood here. It was a grand residential building. On March 12, 1945, a bomb attack destroyed it. Hundreds seeking shelter in the cellars died. Many bodies could not be recovered. The ruin was leveled in 1947. The state never rebuilt on the property.
In 1988, Vienna erected this memorial. It was during the Austrian year of reflection. Mayor Helmut Zilk initiated the project. The Austrian sculptor Alfred Hrdlicka designed and executed it. The unveiling occurred on November 24, 1988. It was the first monumental memorial in public space. It confronted Austria’s past during the Nazi era.
The Gate of Violence stands at the square’s front. It is made of granite. Thousands of prisoners dragged similar stones over the death stairs. This happened in the Mauthausen concentration camp quarry. The sculpture on the left commemorates victims of mass murder. The Nazis perpetrated these acts. They occurred in camps and prisons. Victims included those of political resistance. Also those persecuted for national, religious, and ethnic reasons are included. The memorial remembers those persecuted for disability and sexual orientation. The figures on the right are dedicated to all war victims. A faceless woman giving birth symbolizes Austria’s rebirth. This is after the horrors of war.
The first victims of the Nazis were political opponents and Jews. After Austria’s annexation to Germany on March 12, 1938, Jews were forced to clean streets. They scrubbed pro-Austrian and anti-Nazi slogans. The bronze sculpture of a kneeling Jew recalls this humiliation. It preceded the persecution and murder of Jewish citizens.
Orpheus enters Hades. This male figure rises from marble. It memorializes bomb victims. It also honors those who resisted National Socialism. They risked their lives.
On April 27, 1945, Austria declared its independence. Representatives of new political parties did this in Vienna. Excerpts from the declaration are on the Stone of the Republic. The names of the signatories are also there. This stone is Mauthausen granite. It weighs 57 tons and stands 8.4 meters tall. It is the largest monolith from the Muehlviertel quarries.
The memorial’s erection faced criticism. Some did not want to remember Austria’s role during National Socialism. Others found the location offensive. It was near the State Opera and Albertina. The term “all victims of war” was also controversial. The sculpture shows a fallen Wehrmacht soldier. Representatives of the Jewish community wanted a separate memorial. It should be specifically for Jewish victims. This was erected at Judenplatz in 2000.
The sculpture of the street-washing Jew was often misunderstood. Some visitors even sat on it. In 1990, an artist painted the sculpture with gold paint. He called it “Zahn-Gold-Zeit-Gold.” The police arrested the artist. The city initially reacted with claims of property damage. Eventually, the lawsuit was dropped. Hrdlicka added barbed wire to the statue. This prevented further “possession.”
Over time, the memorial has gained acceptance. Today, it is a well-visited place. Ruth Beckermann added a temporary installation in 2015. It showed private film footage of the forced street scrubbing. This happened to Jewish Viennese in 1938.