“O5” a cryptic symbol etched in stone. That’s our focus at the St. Stephens House Plaque.
The St. Stephens House Plaque marks a memorial to Austrian resistance during World War II. It is next to St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Many miss this memorial.
After the Nazi annexation, Austria was renamed Ostmark. Later it became Donau- und Alpenreichsgaue. This erased Austria’s independence.
The Austrian resistance formed. They were members of banned political parties. The symbol “O5” appeared on buildings. It stood for Österreich. “O” became “OE”. E is the fifth letter. Anyone caught with the symbol faced death.
Today the St. Stephens House Plaque is behind plexiglass. A memorial plaque sits below. It reads: “O5 was the secret symbol of the Austrian resistance against the National Socialist horror regime 1938-1945. This memorial was created in memory of the murdered resistance fighters of the Austrian resistance movement. Installation conducted by President Professor Norbert Macheiner on 5 October 2000. AEIOU: ‘Allen ernstes ist Oesterreich unersetzlich’ (In all seriousness, Austria is irreplaceable).”
AEIOU is likely the 15th-century Habsburg motto. It means “Austria rules the world”. Many interpretations exist.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral is in Vienna’s Old Town. UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 2001.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral itself represents resilience. It has a rich history. The cathedral’s origins trace back to the 12th century. It started as a modest parish church in 1147. Expansions occurred in the 13th and 14th centuries. This transitioned it to Gothic architecture. The South Tower completed in 1433 made St. Stephen’s the tallest building in Vienna.
The cathedral roof has over 200000 glazed tiles. They form a colorful pattern. The Habsburg coat of arms is there. So is the Viennese double-headed eagle and the Austrian coat of arms.
The Pummerin bell hangs in the North Tower. It weighs about 21 tons. The original Pummerin was cast from captured Turkish cannons. A fire destroyed it in 1945. In 1951 it was recast. It rings on special occasions like New Year’s Eve.
Inside St. Stephen’s Cathedral lies a treasure of Gothic art. The High Altar is a Baroque masterpiece. It shows the stoning of St. Stephen. The Pulpit of St. Stephen features the Four Fathers of the Church.
Beneath the cathedral are catacombs. They hold remains of thousands.
The St. Stephens House Plaque and the nearby cathedral stand as testaments to Vienna’s spirit. They remind us of resistance and resilience. Remember their stories as you explore Vienna.