Fifty-nine-nine apartments. That’s how many the Strindberghof boasted when it first opened. Imagine that. This impressive building the Strindberghof stands before you a testament to Vienna’s social housing projects of the Red Vienna era. Built between 1930 and 1933 by Emil Hoppe and Otto Schönthal disciples of Otto Wagner the Strindberghof is more than just bricks and mortar. It’s a story etched in stone and copper.
The Strindberghof is a significant example of the municipal housing construction of the First Republic. It’s a large block of flats surrounding a park-like courtyard. This design is typical of later phases of Red Vienna’s housing projects. The architecture is simple but elegant. Horizontal and vertical lines on the facade prevent monotony. Note the subtle details.
But the Strindberghof holds secrets. More than just apartments it housed a branch of the Freie Schule Kinderfreunde a progressive school still operating today. Look closely. You’ll see the twin reliefs by Angela Stadtherr near the main entrance. They depict allegorical representations of life’s symphony of labor. These beautiful sculptures showcase workers and farmers with their families. They are a silent tribute to the spirit of the time.
The Strindberghof wasn’t immune to the darker chapters of history. During the Nazi era it housed a Nazi party office. A commemorative plaque near the entrance remembers six Jewish tenants evicted in 1938. Another plaque remembers Otto Koblicek a gasworks employee who tried to stop the SS from destroying the Simmering gasworks in 1945. Tragically he was murdered nearby.
The Strindberghof underwent renovations in the late 1980s and again between 1996 and 1998. Elevators were added. Windows and doors were replaced. It was even connected to the district heating system. The building now has sixteen additional apartments thanks to a roof extension.
Today the Strindberghof continues to thrive. It houses the local pensioners’ club and a branch of the Arbeiterkammer (Vienna’s Chamber of Labor). This sprawling complex houses 552 apartments a testament to its enduring legacy. More than a home the Strindberghof is a microcosm of Viennese history a place where social progress struggles against oppression. It is a place where life unfolds in all its complexities. Remember the stories the stones whisper.