“Red poet” and “corruptor of youth” are the echoes of hateful words that surrounded Hugo Bettauer. This plaque commemorates a man who dared to challenge the status quo. We stand before the Hugo Bettauer Plaque, a stark reminder of a dark chapter in Vienna’s history.
Hugo Bettauer was born in Baden bei Wien in 1872. He became a prominent Austrian writer and journalist. Bettauer fearlessly opposed antisemitism through his work. He was murdered for his views in 1925. His life was marked by controversy and courage.
Bettauer’s early life was somewhat rebellious. At 16, he ran away to Alexandria. The Austrian Consul promptly sent him back. He converted from Judaism to the Evangelical Church in 1890. This conversion may have been due to the discrimination against Jewish soldiers.
He married Olga Steiner. They emigrated to the United States. A disastrous speculation cost him his inheritance. He became an American citizen but struggled to find work. They moved to Berlin where his son Heinrich Gustav Hellmuth Bettauer was born.
His career blossomed as a journalist. He exposed scandals and made a name for himself. One scandal led to his expulsion from Prussia in 1901. He then worked in Munich and Hamburg.
His first marriage ended in divorce. Bettauer married Helene Müller, who was 16 at the time. They eloped to America in 1904. Their son Reginald Parker Bettauer was born in New York. He worked as a newspaper journalist. He also wrote serial novels.
He returned to Vienna in 1910. He joined the Neue Freie Presse. He was turned down when he wanted to join the army. This was due to his American citizenship.
After World War I, he wrote for New York papers. He started an aid program for the people of Vienna. He published many novels from 1920 onward. His crime stories with social messages were very popular.
His most famous novel was “Die Stadt ohne Juden” (“The City Without Jews”). It was a satire about antisemitism. The book sold 250,000 copies in its first year. It gained him admirers and enemies.
In the novel, a politician orders the expulsion of all Jews from Vienna. Citizens celebrate, but soon the economy declines. People demand the return of the Jews. The ruling party collapses. The expulsion law is repealed. The Jews are welcomed back.
Bettauer also founded “Bettauers Wochenschrift”. It was a weekly paper that caused controversy. He exploited the concept of the serial novel. He also launched “Er und Sie”. It was a weekly paper for lifestyle and eroticism. It closed after five issues.
His works were adapted into stage plays and films. These adaptations made him successful. Greta Garbo made her debut in the film version of “Die freudlose Gasse”.
Bettauer’s support of sexual openness led to public debate. Opponents called him an “asphalt litterateur”. This was a term used to criticize writers who departed from German homeland. He was publicly vilified and his newspaper was confiscated.
On March 10, 1925, Otto Rothstock shot Bettauer. Rothstock was a dental technician. He was a Nazi party follower. Bettauer died on March 26, 1925. He was cremated at Feuerhalle Simmering.
Rothstock claimed he opposed Bettauer’s alleged immorality. He was sent to a psychiatric clinic. He was released 18 months later. Bettauer’s criticism of antisemitism was the real reason for his murder.
This Hugo Bettauer Plaque stands as a symbol. It represents the fight for freedom of expression. It also serves as a warning against intolerance. Let us remember Hugo Bettauer’s courage. Let us strive for a world free of prejudice and hate.